Is James Cook a Top-Five All Time Bills Running Back?

[Shaw66]

Is there a Bills running back from the past whom, if you could bring him back in his prime, you would start in place of James Cook?

 

I’ve always maintained that the Bills have the best stable of running backs in the history of the league.  No other team can match a top five of Gilchrist, Simpson, Cribbs, Thomas, and McCoy.  Fred Jackson is my number six, and he’d be number three for many other teams.

 

Let’s skip the obvious choices.  Gilchrist was a completely different style of running back, but he ran like and was as good as Derrick Henry.  I don’t care if Cookie can’t run pass patterns, he’d play ahead of Cook.  Simpson is a top-five all-time running back, and Thomas is at least a top-ten guy.  I know, some of you would put them in the other order, but forget that for now.  It goes without saying that either one would start ahead of Cook.

 

I didn’t see a lot of Cribbs, but from what I recall of him, Cook would back him up.

 

I think I’d take McCoy over Cook.  Different styles, but Shady was special. 

 

Finally, Fred Jackson.  I loved Freddie, but I think he’s the only great Bills back who would be a backup to Cook. 

 

What do you think?  Does Cook make the top five?

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Not yet.

 

OJ

Thurman

Marshawn

McGahee

Fred

 

[ShakAttack]

3 minutes ago, Pine Barrens Mafia said:

Not yet.

 

OJ

Thurman

Marshawn

McGahee

Fred

 

I could maybe argue Travis Henry and/or Lesean McCoy in place of McGahee. At least in my lifetime.

 

And as far as best individual seasons go, watching CJ Spiller in 2012 was a treat. 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

1 minute ago, ShakAttack said:

I could maybe argue Travis Henry and/or Lesean McCoy in place of McGahee. At least in my lifetime.

 

And as far as best individual seasons go, watching CJ Spiller in 2012 was a treat. 

I struggled with what to do with Henry.

 

[ShakAttack]

1 minute ago, Pine Barrens Mafia said:

I struggled with what to do with Henry.

 

Yeah they are pretty even imo. Both started their careers with the Bills, both had two 1000 yard seasons with the Bills (I think, might have to fact check), but McGahee was here for only 3 years, Henry 4 years. McCoy 4 years as well, and I believe he may have been more productive overall than either Henry / Mcgahee during his time, definitely in terms of YPC. That said, Anthony Lynn’s system was also VERY RB friendly (see Mike Gillislee and Karlos Williams)

[BADOLBILZ]

8 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Is there a Bills running back from the past whom, if you could bring him back in his prime, you would start in place of James Cook?

 

I’ve always maintained that the Bills have the best stable of running backs in the history of the league.  No other team can match a top five of Gilchrist, Simpson, Cribbs, Thomas, and McCoy.  Fred Jackson is my number six, and he’d be number three for many other teams.

 

Let’s skip the obvious choices.  Gilchrist was a completely different style of running back, but he ran like and was as good as Derrick Henry.  I don’t care if Cookie can’t run pass patterns, he’d play ahead of Cook.  Simpson is a top-five all-time running back, and Thomas is at least a top-ten guy.  I know, some of you would put them in the other order, but forget that for now.  It goes without saying that either one would start ahead of Cook.

 

I didn’t see a lot of Cribbs, but from what I recall of him, Cook would back him up.

 

I think I’d take McCoy over Cook.  Different styles, but Shady was special. 

 

Finally, Fred Jackson.  I loved Freddie, but I think he’s the only great Bills back who would be a backup to Cook. 

 

What do you think?  Does Cook make the top five?

 

 

Cook is definitely NOT one of the top 5 RB's in Bills history.   Not top 10 either.

 

He's put up some very nice per play numbers but the RB position isn't what it used to be in the 60's thru 2010 when the rules were changed to increase passing offense.

 

For decades the 2 or 3 best athletes on an NFL team were often the RB's.    Now,  the position is largely manned by players who can't play other positions due to size limitations.  

 

Cook would have been a backup for most of the existence of this franchise.

 

[Rocky Landing]

25 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

 

 

Finally, Fred Jackson.  I loved Freddie, but I think he’s the only great Bills back who would be a backup to Cook. 

 

What do you think?  Does Cook make the top five?

These are the sorts of things that Fred Jackson heard his entire career. The Bills would bring someone in, everyone would crow about how they'd be the feature back, and FredX would end up with more snaps. 

Edited June 11 by Rocky Landing

[BearNorth]

I am old, old enough to be at the 1963 game [in a downpour] where Cookie ran for 243 yards on basically an unplayable field.

 

He was big, listed at 6-3 251. [Billy Shaw - HOF OG was 6-2 258] probably bigger than Derrick Henry.  He also was an outstanding pass blocker, he would pancake DT's, Madden said he might have been the best blocking RB ever  He averaged 25-30 catches per season, and was not someone a db wanted to face in space.  Remember he only played 4 full seasons in the AFL, because of Paul Brown's illegally signing him when he was 18 - he bounced around between rugby and the CFL for 8 years before the Bills signed him. He also played MLB in Canada.

 

Edited June 12 by BearNorth

[Royale with Cheese]

I'm not even sure he's top 8 with only one year as primary starter.

Thomas

OJ

Gilchrist

Freddy

Travis Henry

Willis McGahee

McCoy

Lynch

 

[Shaw66]

Wow.  Marshawn.   I don't count him on my Bills top-five lists because he didn't really emerge as a great back until after he left.  The talent was there, and we all could see it, but between his emotional state and the Bills' dysfunction, he wasn't the great back he would become later. 

 

McGahee, in my mind, never was the guy he'd been before the injury.   He was a warrior, but I never saw him as a dominant back like the five I started with.  

 

Actually, the Bills SECOND five is really pretty good.  Something like Lynch, McGahee, Spiller, Henry, and Jackson.  I said I think the Bills' top-five is the best in the league.  The Bills' second five has to be better than any other team's second five.   A lot of solid ball carriers on that list. 

 

And Travis Henry.  

 

We've been blessed with running backs. 

 

Edited June 11 by Shaw66

[SoonerBillsFan]

1 hour ago, Shaw66 said:

Is there a Bills running back from the past whom, if you could bring him back in his prime, you would start in place of James Cook?

 

I’ve always maintained that the Bills have the best stable of running backs in the history of the league.  No other team can match a top five of Gilchrist, Simpson, Cribbs, Thomas, and McCoy.  Fred Jackson is my number six, and he’d be number three for many other teams.

 

Let’s skip the obvious choices.  Gilchrist was a completely different style of running back, but he ran like and was as good as Derrick Henry.  I don’t care if Cookie can’t run pass patterns, he’d play ahead of Cook.  Simpson is a top-five all-time running back, and Thomas is at least a top-ten guy.  I know, some of you would put them in the other order, but forget that for now.  It goes without saying that either one would start ahead of Cook.

 

I didn’t see a lot of Cribbs, but from what I recall of him, Cook would back him up.

 

I think I’d take McCoy over Cook.  Different styles, but Shady was special. 

 

Finally, Fred Jackson.  I loved Freddie, but I think he’s the only great Bills back who would be a backup to Cook. 

 

What do you think?  Does Cook make the top five?

No way to know yet.  3 more years of 1500 yard totals and 10+ TD's per year and we can truly have a basis for discussion 

[PBF81]

1 hour ago, Pine Barrens Mafia said:

I struggled with what to do with Henry.

 

 

Well, he's sired what, 11 kids with 10 different women or spending like that.  That's Hall of Fame material.  

 

 

Edited June 11 by PBF81

[Chicken Boo]

In no particular order.

 

OJ

Thurman

Henry 

Jackson 

McCoy

 

So no.  Not yet, anyways.

[Gregg]

In my lifetime as far as Bills RB's go it was OJ and Thurman and then a drop off to everyone else.

[PBF81]

1 hour ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

Cook is definitely NOT one of the top 5 RB's in Bills history.   Not top 10 either.

 

He's put up some very nice per play numbers but the RB position isn't what it used to be in the 60's thru 2010 when the rules were changed to increase passing offense.

 

For decades the 2 or 3 best athletes on an NFL team were often the RB's.    Now,  the position is largely manned by players who can't play other positions due to size limitations.  

 

Cook would have been a backup for most of the existence of this franchise.

 

 

He's also have to finish the last third of the season a little stronger than 3.6 ypc, no rushing TDs, apart from a one game outlier that is, and how does a RB that never carries in 3rd downs even make that list.  

 

He petered out as the season wore on, can't score at the goal line, and isn't used on 3rd downs.  

 

There only so much utility for a RB like that.  We got what can be gotten out of him.  They didn't draft Davis on the 4th because Cook is all that.  

 

Cook is what they said he was when he was drafted, namely a good situational ball carrier that isn't suited to full-time carries, but one that has good utility in the passing game.  

 

 

[hondo in seattle]

My list based on personal observation (i.e. not an analysis of stats or highlights).  I'm only considering the time they played in a Bills uni.  

 

(1)  OJ.  An other worldly runner.

(2)  Thurman.  A great all-purpose back and a great fit for the offense he was in.

(3)  Freddy.  Freddy is often underrated  because he mostly played behind bad lines on bad teams.  Great at getting something out of nothing.

(4)  Joe Cribbs.  Excellent runner and receiver.  

(5) Shady.  A bright spot on a bad team.  

 

I never watched him play live, but some old-timers might make a good case for Cookie Gilchrist.  

 

On a different day of the week, I might alter the order but I'd stick with these five with OJ on top.  If we include their careers beyond the Bills, Marshawn probably moves into the Top Five and Shady moves up the list.  

[NoHuddleKelly12]

I would put him in the latter half of the second set of 5 for now, with star ascending however, so room to move into the top 5 for sure before it’s all said and done…I think his potential is off the charts, and if he can put it together I think Brady will feed him plenty to feast where possible. YAC is where in particular I’d love to see him explode this season. 

[hondo in seattle]

1 hour ago, Shaw66 said:

Wow.  Marshawn.   I don't count him on my Bills top-five lists because he didn't really emerge as a great back until after he left.  The talent was there, and we all could see it, but between his emotional state and the Bills' dysfunction, he wasn't the great back he would become later. 

 

McGahee, in my mind, never was the guy he'd been before the injury.   He was a warrior, but I never saw him as a dominant back like the five I started with.  

 

Actually, the Bills SECOND five is really pretty good.  Something like Lynch, McGahee, Spiller, Henry, and Jackson.  I said I think the Bills' top-five is the best in the league.  The Bills' second five has to be better than any other team's second five.   A lot of solid ball carriers on that list. 

 

And Travis Henry.  

 

We've been blessed with running backs. 

 

 

 

Before Josh came along, I used to say that we've been blessed at RB and cursed at QB.  

[Gregg]

2 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

My list based on personal observation (i.e. not an analysis of stats or highlights).  I'm only considering the time they played in a Bills uni.  

 

(1)  OJ.  An other worldly runner.

(2)  Thurman.  A great all-purpose back and a great fit for the offense he was in.

(3)  Freddy.  Freddy is often underrated  because he mostly played behind bad lines on bad teams.  Great at getting something out of nothing.

(4)  Joe Cribbs.  Excellent runner and receiver.  

(5) Shady.  A bright spot on a bad team.  

 

I never watched him play live, but some old-timers might make a good case for Cookie Gilchrist.  

 

On a different day of the week, I might alter the order but I'd stick with these five with OJ on top.  If we include their careers beyond the Bills, Marshawn probably moves into the Top Five and Shady moves up the list.  

 

It's too bad Cribbs didn't last longer with the Bills. He seasons in 80 and 81 were great. After that not so much. Didn't he leave the Bills to go to the USFL.

[hondo in seattle]

41 minutes ago, Gregg said:

 

It's too bad Cribbs didn't last longer with the Bills. He seasons in 80 and 81 were great. After that not so much. Didn't he leave the Bills to go to the USFL.

 

Yep - 2 years in the USFL. 

 

At his peak, he was fun to watch.  But his peak didn't last long.