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Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is sitting out voluntary organized team activities as part of an initial holdout with the hopes of landing a new contract extension.
NFL insider James Palmer of Bleacher Report said the situation ‘isn’t serious, yet’ and is of the understanding that the two sides remain in contact. Buffalo also believes Cook will play this season and the star running back hasn’t expressed any desire to be traded.
“Mandatory minicamp, I will believe, is going to be the first real test of how James Cook is going to approach this. Is he going to miss out on some money? Is he going to start making things uncomfortable in a situation where they have a team that is favored in every single game this year, has Super Bowl aspirations?…Does he start to hold in during training camp? Does he start to try to make things difficult?”
Bleacher Report’s James Palmer on the James Cook situation with the Buffalo Bills
Related: Insider shares what a James Cook contract extension might cost the Bills
Cook, entering his age-26 season, is coming off his second consecutive Pro Bowl selection. He tied for the NFL lead in rushing touchdowns last year and has averaged over 1,400 scrimmage yards per season since 2023. On the surface, those numbers are worth becoming one of the highest-paid NFL players at his position.
However, the Bills’ front office has a long history of treating running backs as replaceable. Cook replaced Devin Singletary, who replaced LeSean McCoy. Buffalo also really likes what it has behind Cook with Ray Davis, who showed flashes in Week 6 (97 yards, 4.9 ypc), Week 13 (63 yards, 5.7 ypc) and Week 18 (64 yards, 4.3 ypc).
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With Cook reportedly seeking a multi-year extension worth $15 million annually, that seems to be outside Buffalo’s price range. Given Bills general manager Brandon Beane indicated in March that an extension wasn’t on the horizon, it remains very possible that Cook has to play out the final year of his deal and then walks in NFL free agency next offseason.
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