Buffalo Rumblings
Cook “held-in” for the second day in a row during training camp.
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook has taken a very active role in his quest for a new contract, a situation initially supported by his older brother Dalvin Cook. Though it’s just August 4, the drama surrounding Cook’s next pay day has aged like milk — the main event of it all having begun just a few short months ago.
Cook is unhappy right now, to say the least. He has every right to feel that way, whether you agree with it (and how he’s proceeding) or not. But Cook’s stance is especially validated when you consider his production during the team’s 2024 season.
Cook was a revelation at running back for Buffalo, though one who saw just a 54.5% snap share. If you need a reminder about what he did with that time: 16 starts, 207 carries for 1,009 yards with 16 touchdowns; 32 receptions (38 targets) for 258 yards and two additional touchdowns.
If just considering Cook’s production, it’s easy to understand why he views himself among the best running backs in the NFL. But is he at the same level as Saquon Barkley? With all due respect to Cook, who decimated the league on a limited snap count — clearly, no. Certainly, 1,009 rushing yards isn’t fit for the record books, but when you consider the timeshare, and the presence of Josh Allen a finer appreciation should emerge for what Cook was able to accomplish.
Cook’s a stud who’s proven fully capable as a runner between the tackles, or when swinging it wide outside the hashes.
Yet the biggest eyesore to his contract campaign, James Cook has not been reliable in pass-blocking situations. That took, arguably, Buffalo’s second-best offensive player off the field in key moments of too many games. There can be no greater detractor to a contract hold-in than Cook butting it right up next to the Bills’ final playoff drive of 2024 — a moment in time when he wasn’t on the field, by design, and due to his pass-blocking deficiency.
But is it entirely fair to lay so much of that responsibility on Cook? Yes, considering his asking price, and it would seem that general manager Brandon Beane agrees.
In an appearance with WGR 550 AM on August 4 at training camp on the grounds of St. John Fisher University, Brandon Beane played the part of a straight shooter, laying it all out on the table when asked about Cook’s non-participation:
“Yeah, you know it’s not something we were fully aware of until shortly before practice. And so — you know, I get it. I understand it’s... the world we’re in, I guess, of how players want to respond to things like that. You know, love James, and you know at the end of the day, you know, we want all our guys practicing, we know that. We’ve got some guys out due to injuries or soft-tissue and stuff like...
