James Cook on IG Live - "15 mill year" EDIT: Scrubbed his IG and Doubled Down on Twitter

[Mat68]

2 minutes ago, DaVinci said:

Its the manner in which he's doing it.

Like I said.  The position has been treated so poorly and their contracts have not risen like every other they have to negotiate aggressively and use every pressure tactic to avoid getting low balled.  What did he do that was so negative?  Checks notes?  Doesnt follow the Bills on social media? 

[DrDawkinstein]

Just now, Mat68 said:

Like I said.  The position has been treated so poorly and their contracts have not risen like every other they have to negotiate aggressively and use every pressure tactic to avoid getting low balled.  What did he do that was so negative?  Checks notes?  Doesnt follow the Bills on social media? 

 

It's crazy to me how personal Bills fans are taking/making this. Dude is staring at his (likely) one chance to get paid. Of course he should be pushing for as much money as possible, any and every way possible. We'd all do the same thing for ourselves and our families.

[BarleyNY]

36 minutes ago, Straight Hucklebuck said:

What's he going to do? 

 

Sit out all of 2025?

 

Ultimately he doesn't have a ton of leverage other than to be a malcontent. 

 

That's why one option is to draft an RB high - this improves the talent from Ty Johnson, but also insulates the Bills from Cook being used as a bargaining chip.  

 

 

No, I agree that he’s going to have to play out his deal if we make him. I wasn’t saying we had to trade him or even that we should, just that the compensation won’t be all that much. People that are thinking a first or second round pick are not in the right ballpark. Also this would be a great opportunity for Beane to show everyone that this team won’t be manipulated again. Players can’t pull a Diggs and expect it to work again. 

Edited February 14 by BarleyNY

[Mr. WEO]

1 hour ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Lol, no it won’t. Beane knows the numbers. Beane knows roughly where it will end up and knows where the Bills will be willing to go. This has ZERO impact on the negotiation. He might be a little annoyed but he’s not biting off his nose to spite his face. The real world doesn’t work like Draft Day with Kevin Costner. It’s not that dramatic. Cook scrubbing social media has ZERO impact as to whether he is here or not. If he has a hard line at $13M and the Bills have a hard line at $10M he may not be here. How it has been handled isn’t a factor.

I spent a bunch of years around a pro locker room. I can count on zero hands how many times a guy wanting more money was a negative in the locker room. In fact, it is the opposite. They WANT their teammates paid. Fans get annoyed by how it’s handled not players.

 

I'm sure Beane has in mind a number far lower than 15 million.  Putting such a silly number out there seems to have had the opposite effect to whatever Cook intended by initially posting it.  Hence, he wiped it out.  It's probably not how his agent wanted to begin these negotiations.  

 

It's a move that players make, not to their benefit, as it turns out. Pointless.

[dayman]

I trust Bean to be smart about these issues. Ideally we balance things and pay him well, keep him, show other players you can earn in Buffalo, but also don’t destroy our cap. If not then I trust we’ll move on.

[CincyBillsFan]

46 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

It's crazy to me how personal Bills fans are taking/making this. Dude is staring at his (likely) one chance to get paid. Of course he should be pushing for as much money as possible, any and every way possible. We'd all do the same thing for ourselves and our families.

I agree.  He has every right and in fact an obligation to try to get as much money as he can get.  The RB position has been underpaid the last few years and 15 million per year is not crazy given his production.  Now if the Bills think they can get similar production from someone else then play hardball with Cook and get someone to replace him.

 

 

[DrDawkinstein]

Just now, Mr. WEO said:

 

I'm sure Beane has in mind a number far lower than 15 million.  Putting such a silly number out there seems to have had the opposite effect to whatever Cook intended by initially posting it.  Hence, he wiped it out.  It's probably not how his agent wanted to begin these negotiations.  

 

It's a move that players make, not to their benefit, as it turns out. Pointless.

 

I'm pretty certain it has had zero effect on anything real.

 

The only effect it has had is putting sand in the panties of a bunch of adult fans on social media.

2 minutes ago, BarleyNY said:

No, I agree that he’s going to have to play out his deal if we make him. I wasn’t saying we had to trade him or even that we should, just that the compensation won’t be all that much. People that are thinking a first or second round pick are not in the right ballpark. Also this would be a great opportunity for Beane to show everyone that this team won’t be manipulated again. Players can’t pull a Diggs and expect it to work again. 

 

The Diggs manipulation was far more in-house stuff than anything posted on social media. The storming out of locker rooms, the conflict and walking out on McDermott, the conflicts with Josh, etc. Those are all real things that actually effect the team.

 

Social media posts do very little to move the needle with the team in reality.

[BarleyNY]

6 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

The Diggs manipulation was far more in-house stuff than anything posted on social media. The storming out of locker rooms, the conflict and walking out on McDermott, the conflicts with Josh, etc. Those are all real things that actually effect the team.

 

Social media posts do very little to move the needle with the team in reality.

No disagreement there. Just discussing how I’d like to see things handled if it heads down that path. I don’t think that things going that way would be surprising at this point. 

[Kirby Jackson]

18 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

I'm sure Beane has in mind a number far lower than 15 million.  Putting such a silly number out there seems to have had the opposite effect to whatever Cook intended by initially posting it.  Hence, he wiped it out.  It's probably not how his agent wanted to begin these negotiations.  

 

It's a move that players make, not to their benefit, as it turns out. Pointless.

I don’t necessarily disagree with any of this. My thinking (as of today) is that it ends up at $12.5M(ish). I’m curious as to where each other’s “hard line” number is. That’ll determine whether or not it gets done. At $12.5M I would expect both sides to be good with it. Something like 3 years $37.5M with $24M GTD feels realistic for everyone. That’s a bump from Mixon but less than Taylor (with almost as much GTD). 

[DrDawkinstein]

6 minutes ago, BarleyNY said:

No disagreement there. Just discussing how I’d like to see things handled if it heads down that path. I don’t think that things going that way would be surprising at this point. 

 

I think it would be a huge surprise if quiet, mild-mannered, man-of-few words James Cook tantrumed his way off of the Bills.

 

So far he has never pitched a fit or been anything but a good soldier within One Bills Drive. 2 small social media comments dont count for anything.

 

The Bills will likely make Cook an extension offer soon. They may negotiate a couple times back and forth, but not too much or otherwise they are just negotiating against themselves. If they dont get it done, then theyll wait until after the season and make the offer again. At that point it's up to Cook if he wants to take the money on the table, or test the RB market.

 

I do not see any shouting matches, meltdowns, or blowouts forcing Beane to trade Cook.

 

 

Edited February 14 by DrDawkinstein

[Straight Hucklebuck]

57 minutes ago, BarleyNY said:

No, I agree that he’s going to have to play out his deal if we make him. I wasn’t saying we had to trade him or even that we should, just that the compensation won’t be all that much. People that are thinking a first or second round pick are not in the right ballpark. Also this would be a great opportunity for Beane to show everyone that this team won’t be manipulated again. Players can’t pull a Diggs and expect it to work again. 

I guess the Bills should hold firm if their limit is $12.5M and not $15M, but that's pretty silly to lose Cook over $2.5M a year. 

 

$15M is not so outrageous of a number. 

 

 

[BuffaloRebound]

2 years $25m.  If he wants more than that trade him to the Cowboys.  They’re desperate for a splashy move and need playmakers.  

[ProcessTruster]

45 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

I'm sure Beane has in mind a number far lower than 15 million.  Putting such a silly number out there seems to have had the opposite effect to whatever Cook intended by initially posting it.  Hence, he wiped it out.  It's probably not how his agent wanted to begin these negotiations.  

 

It's a move that players make, not to their benefit, as it turns out. Pointless.

He'll take 8-9 per and be happy with it.  Or he will be gone.   If he holds out he loses what he is making now.  He's a little guy fairly useless in short yardage, near red zone and pass protection; is why he sees only 50% the snaps.   

 

RBs are plentiful in this draft.   Go get one.   

 

[Straight Hucklebuck]

3 minutes ago, ProcessTruster said:

He'll take 8-9 per and be happy with it.  Or he will be gone.   If he holds out he loses what he is making now.  He's a little guy fairly useless in short yardage, near red zone and pass protection; is why he sees only 50% the snaps.   

 

RBs are plentiful in this draft.   Go get one.   

 

Like with a 7th and hope to replicate Pacheco and the Chiefs? 

 

Or like really try and get a #1 back?

[Einstein's Dog]

33 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

I think it would be a huge surprise if quiet, mild-mannered, man-of-few words James Cook tantrumed his way off of the Bills.

 

So far he has never pitched a fit or been anything but a good soldier within One Bills Drive. 2 small social media comments dont count for anything.

 

The Bills will likely make Cook an extension offer soon. They may negotiate a couple times back and forth, but not too much or otherwise they are just negotiating against themselves. If they dont get it done, then theyll wait until after the season and make the offer again. At that point it's up to Cook if he wants to take the money on the table, or test the RB market.

 

I do not see any shouting matches, meltdowns, or blowouts forcing Beane to trade Cook.

 

What Cook has done may be enough to move him out.  From the FO perspective it helps send a message to not negotiate in the media.  And it would be great cover for the never pay an RB big money underlying philosophy while simultaneously trying to preserve a draft/retain/pay market for your team culture.

 

Cook's insane pricing has already started working in here.  People are quoting a $12.5M salary like that is reasonable.  Beane didn't go $9M for D Henry. 

[nosejob]

50 minutes ago, Straight Hucklebuck said:

Like with a 7th and hope to replicate Pacheco and the Chiefs? 

 

Or like really try and get a #1 back?

I can hear you guys....Frank Gore jr.

[Kirby Jackson]

35 minutes ago, Einstein's Dog said:

What Cook has done may be enough to move him out.  From the FO perspective it helps send a message to not negotiate in the media.  And it would be great cover for the never pay an RB big money underlying philosophy while simultaneously trying to preserve a draft/retain/pay market for your team culture.

 

Cook's insane pricing has already started working in here.  People are quoting a $12.5M salary like that is reasonable.  Beane didn't go $9M for D Henry. 

From a players perspective, how do you think “sending a message” to one of your best players is perceived? Do you think that will be a positive for players and agents in terms of recruiting? If you think it’s a positive, you are not very tuned into the modern athlete.
 

And yes, $12.5M is basically nothing for your best skill player and a key piece of your offense. That’s Dawson Knox money. 

Edited February 14 by Kirby Jackson

[Mr. WEO]

1 hour ago, ProcessTruster said:

He'll take 8-9 per and be happy with it.  Or he will be gone.   If he holds out he loses what he is making now.  He's a little guy fairly useless in short yardage, near red zone and pass protection; is why he sees only 50% the snaps.   

 

RBs are plentiful in this draft.   Go get one.   

 

 

He's a solid 1000 yard 2 down back,  he won't take under 10.  He's not getting #2 RB money after 2 career seasons tipping 1000.  He's a second round back who brought value.  There will be others.   

[JP51]

Ok. so.... If I am a GM... (and right now I am not sure exactly what I would do here...)  I am asking myself these questions... how do I fit the salary into the cap budget, what do  I have to give up in terms of improving the team because I am spending this money here, how much would said new person improve the over all team, what is the drop off between Cook and what we have, is that drop off more significant in diminishing our ability to win then how much I could improve the team in another area of need with that money... then strike your number... or pull a Tremaine and let them go... 

 

My thoughts... is Cook as system guy... Will Davis and Ty Johnson create a significant drop off.... Factor you are likely going to not sign Johnson if you give Cook big money. Cook is small, running behind a world class OL with a QB people are scared to death over... what is he gonna look like in New England, Miami, NY Giants, Atlanta... I feel like if someone is gonna sign a 15mm 195 lb RB they are likely going to be bottom half of the league standings and have CAP space...  I question if he is going to be worth it...  I wonder if we dont get 800 or 900 yards out of Ty Johnson or Davis instead of 1000.... Johnson has made significant big plays in the receiving game... I honestly want to retain that....  I recognize he is a star... I believe his shelf life is limited (looking at Dalvin) ... 

 

I guess I come up with a number that works for me... like say 10mm...  and if I cant get that done... asta... I dont see his resigning as absolutely critical to our continued success at expense of some other area's I believe ARE critical for us to shore up...  I am sure there will be agreement and disagreement here... but this is kinda wher I sit right now...  that said, I love opinions... and other insight...  I am not claiming to be a Free Agent savant... just how I see in right now... 

[DapperCam]

1 hour ago, Straight Hucklebuck said:

I guess the Bills should hold firm if their limit is $12.5M and not $15M, but that's pretty silly to lose Cook over $2.5M a year. 

 

$15M is not so outrageous of a number. 

 

 

$15m is an outrageous number for the current RB market unless he thinks he will be the one to reset it. Only McCaffery and Jonathan Taylor have contracts like that and Cook isn’t on their level (and arguably those teams got burned by those contracts because of injuries).