Einstein's Dog

Maybe Pickens for J Cook? Trade problems on their contract years.

Wow, on Cook's side, that's different from me. I'm firmly in the trade Cook now camp. It was Cook that put out the ridiculous $15M. It has been Cook (meaning Cook's team - his bitter brother and newbie agent) doing the social media escapades - $15M, scrubbing account, putting house on sale, etc. Now doing a modification to Cook's contract to include incentives lessens Beane future negotiating. It also would make the players who Beane did previous deals with question if they did the right thing. Giving the squeaky media hound a break starts turning the Bills into Dallas North. The Bills just paid a big price with removing Diggs, stay the course and flush out Cook for the future of the team. The Bills have a bright future. Yes, you lose a talented top 10 RB by trading Cook. But you also cut loose a distraction early (before a Diggs level problem). You lessen a risk - Cook doing a "hold-in" for over half the season. You get something for 2025 by doing it now, and you get to replenish the RB room with another RB. And it would be exciting to get another 2nd round draft pick.

Round 2 is a good place to move J Cook (maybe to Dallas). Get a decent pick to use on some of the upper players. - like Scourton + Collins and/or a S. And then figure out moving up in the 3rd for an RB.

Getting close to a Cook trade to move up for a 1st round rated CB.

Along with Barron

Hope the Cowboys don't do anything stupid like take an RB (Hampton).

Bowers

Was hoping Jeanty would go in the top 10. Helps move the value of Cook up for a trade.

Mike Florio's draft had the Bills taking Luther Burden - that was different. It was right after D Harmon then S Revel went (Grant had gone earlier) Didn't see J Barron on his list.

Yeah, kind of backwards here, usually you trade up to get your particular target - which I could understand if J Barron was here. If you have several in the same tier that allows you to wait. With Amos, Grant, Harmon and Hairston still on the board I don't think a move up is needed, especially when it usually costs around a 4th to do it.

Could be. Would be nice if Jeanty goes in the top 10. Cook and a 6th for the Cowboys 2nd. Cowboys could get a top WR at 12, Cook with their 2nd - that should help Jerry with headlines and offensive potential.

It's unfortunately too late to be able to reallocate the Cook budget into the WR room at this point. It's upsetting to think that had they known of Cook's demands the FO may have chosen the DK Metcalf route instead of the Palmer+Cook plan. My prediction is they are moving Cook during the draft. While missing the voluntary workouts doesn't move the needle, the needle has already been pushed into "get rid of" territory. Cook already doesn't like the proposed extension, will not like the proposed usage (same as 2024), and has already started acting out. To me, the signs are all there that moving him now is the best course of action - get rid of the malcontent and distraction, get rid of the risk of someone holding out half the year, reload with a young, eager rookie. Better to move on a year early than a year late. They didn't tolerate this from Diggs, no need to put up with it from Cook. Makes the draft more interesting to me.

On the flip side, if there are 12 players with a round 1 grade and one of them slides into the early 20s (J Barron), it may be very tempting to see what it takes to get him (Cook and a pick for instance).

Counter points: *Missing voluntary OTAs is just another step in the Diggs playbook. It's not unexpected for someone unhappy. You don't know how seriously McBeane is taking this, and part of the business side of the NFL is trading players (once again similar to what he did with Diggs). The players would understand. *Cook may be traded, certainly a possibility (you're claiming otherwise comes off as a little ridiculous). The physical exam is a mere formality. There are actually very few RBs in this draft better than Cook. And a team getting Cook does not have to pay him a huge contract yet, the trade can be for the $5M bargain price. *Cook may have a great year ahead with the Bills, or Cook may have a year similar to 2024 - the same RB room from 2024 is back, and the Bills may want to watch Cooks workload to have him ready for the playoffs. And the scary kicker is Cook may just want to be paid based on the 2024 stats and sit out a good portion of 2025. *While the Bills may want Cook to have a great season, the priority for the Bills is for the team to have a great season. And as mentioned above that may mean work load management on the RBs. *Drafting an RB this week would make the most sense if Cook is traded. There would be RB room, the drafted RB would now be the R Davis insurance, and the RB room would be bargain basement prices - in line with the past philosophy of not paying RBs.

J Cook is a top ten-ish back, teams missing out on Jeanty and maybe Hampton then Cook would be a clearly superior back IMO. Teams like Dallas, Pitt, and NYG could be interested. Hoping it doesn't become a distraction is risky (and that is if Beane doesn't think it is already a distraction). Moving Cook during the draft gives the Bills the opportunity to replenish the RB room.