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

[Einstein's Dog]

13 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

 

 

I'm sure Beane has a very good idea on how this will play out given he is the one in talks with Cook's camp, and I trust him to handle it accordingly.

 

The good news if he does hold out is since so many folks here think he "isnt an every down back", "isnt a game changer", and "isnt even worth $10M/yr", then we obviously wont miss out on much with him sitting out.

I don't see many saying it's good news.  And even if Cook isn't an every down back, he is an exciting two down back.  But D Henry the best 2 down back in the league is at $8Myr.

 

While you state you're confident that Beane has a plan to play this out, I don't think you're going to like it.  Weren't you saying "just give him the $13M", don't think that will happen.

 

If there was any good news to be taken from this situation I think it comes more from the "don't pay an RB big money" crowd.  And Beane may appreciate that the majority of the Bills fanbase looks at Cook as the culprit in the negotiation standstill.

[Lothar]

I don't see how we can take a legit RB prospect this year unless we plan to trade Cook. We are not carrying Cook, Davis, Johnson, draft pick and Gilliam on a 53 man roster.

[Einstein's Dog]

11 minutes ago, ddaryl said:

No he does not have to but it will cost him in FA if he does not is what I said. SO he has to play the full yuear if he wants to have any chance of getting paid what he is asking for IMO. He can hold out for camp but he has to play 17 + games to make the bank.

If Cook plays the full year as a 2 down back I don't think it helps him get the big money.  He would end up with a similar year that he had in '24, which is excellent for the Bills but not for getting $15m/yr.

 

If Cook waits until week 11 to come back, the emphasis to other teams would remain on his breakout '24 season stats, and he would still be able to sell his extrapolation/ascension model.

[Alphadawg7]

48 minutes ago, Gregg said:

I hope they can work something out. Obviously, he is not on the level of Barkley or Henry, but he is the 2nd best player on our offense. Led the league in rushing TD's last year. That is something that can't easily be replaced in the run game. His 2024 stats

 

207 carries

Tied-19th

YDS

1,009

16th

TD

16

Tied-1st

AVG

4.9

 

In Ray Davis lone start with Allen when Cook missed the Jets game:

 

20 Carries, 97 Yards (4.9 ypc), plus 3 receptions, 55 yards.  He put up 153 yards  on 23 touches.  

 

Then when he started week 17 with Allen out and Trubisky in when they were going to gear up to stop the run more than Mitch...he still put up 15 carries, 64 yards (4.3 ypc) and caught a 1 yard TD pass. 

 

I like Cook as much as the next guy, but IMHO Cook is more a product of his environment of playing with an explosive dual threat QB and an excellent OL.  I think for a lot of teams in the NFL, Cook stats will look more pedestrian than they have here.  So, I don't know we need a $15M a year RB to put up similar numbers to Cook.  And honestly, Ty has proven to be a good change of pace and 3rd down back...him and Davis could be an effective duo with a rookie coming in to compete for touches, someone who compliments Davis similar to how Cook plays. 

 

Do I hope we can keep Cook...of course...he has done well here...but...do I want to over pay for the position, meaning, give a 2 down RB big money who struggles in pass protection so much that on the most important drive in the Allen era he wont even get on the field?  No.  My ceiling was, and still is $10M personally even though that was before some of these other RB contracts suggesting he should get more...and look, I am not even saying he hasn't earned it.  I am talking strictly for the best make up of this football team...I would rather spend that money elsewhere as I have a lot of confidence that Davis, Ty, and a Rookie could have a similar year as to our RB room had last year.   

• My hope:  Gets 3 year deal for $30M (probably unrealistic at this point).
• What I more expect to happen:  Signs here for more like $36M for 3 years with well over $20M guaranteed.
• If Cook digs in on $15M:  I think he gets traded ahead of the draft.  Beane doesn't strike me as someone that wants to get into a hardball standoff that leads to a holdout.  I genuinely think he would rather grant Cook the opportunity to get that contract from someone else, not have this hanging over the team, and just look towards the future now if it becomes clear they just aren't going to get there on a contract.  I also think this is why he drafted Ray Davis, he always seemed more like contingency plan if Cook's price got to high as Davis was one of the better RB prospects in the draft and had 3 down back potential.  

[ColoradoBills]

41 minutes ago, Lothar said:

I don't see how we can take a legit RB prospect this year unless we plan to trade Cook. We are not carrying Cook, Davis, Johnson, draft pick and Gilliam on a 53 man roster.

 

It would have to be a 6th round sleeper that they can stash on the PS.

That's the only way I can see it done.  Actually, not a bad idea IF one of those types are around.

[cba fan]

22 hours ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

An OUTRAGOUS ask of $1-2M more than most agree is his market value!!!

Cook can't pass block on a high passing team so is out on late game deciding drives. So his value to Bills is like 7 mill a year, if that. He is as good as gone.

[ddaryl]

43 minutes ago, Einstein's Dog said:

If Cook plays the full year as a 2 down back I don't think it helps him get the big money.  He would end up with a similar year that he had in '24, which is excellent for the Bills but not for getting $15m/yr.

 

If Cook waits until week 11 to come back, the emphasis to other teams would remain on his breakout '24 season stats, and he would still be able to sell his extrapolation/ascension model.

Other teams will notice if he holds out and it will effect his bargaining power some. I do not think 24 season is enough alone to move the needle to $15 mil a season for anyone in 2025. Maybe 2026 depending how much the salary cap space jumps, but I forsee Cook asking for $20 million in 2026 with that scenario with another 2024 season of success in 2025. Thats how I view Cook the player now, another social media mouth who is more about getting paid then being on a class team competing every year.

In fact whom was the last player to make a stink about getting a new contract from Beane?  Beane is pretty pro active about re-signing players and I can not think of one player who went public with a contract demand during Beanes tenure....  I could be wrong just do not recall.

[Magox]

 

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

On 3/13/2025 at 2:07 PM, Einstein's Dog said:

According to earlier in the thread, Yes.  From what people have posted here, Cook has done the outrageous $15M request, gone through the pouting phase of erasing Bills related materials, and is now onto the buffering picture (the Diggs equivalent of "Well....").

 

Reading the tea leaves this is the stage where Cook and his agent have given the Bills a ridiculous figure for an extension and claiming it's up to the Bills (which they of course will not do).  Whether Cook will play out his last year of the contract or hold out is now the question.

Their situations are so similar it’s scary. DO NOT cave, Beane. This is not what this front office has been about. Players earn their contracts and honor their current deal unless they grossly outplay it like a Jason Peter’s or Josh Allen situation. It will set a bad precedent for younger players to hold out too. Follow the Terrell Bernard model and they will get paid. If not by Buffalo then by somebody else. Simple as that. I don’t think he’s getting 15 million per year ANYWHERE.
 

Cook had good numbers, but not enough receiving yards or exceptional pass blocking to warrant a deal better than Saquon Barkley’s. Someone made a good point. His numbers only seem so amazing because of Buffalo’s total lack of run game in recent memory. I think Joe Brady’s scheme is good enough to plug & play any decent back and get close to the same production. Ray Davis/ Ty Johnson/ Rookie would be adequate enough to not put any damper on my SB aspirations.

 

 

Edited Monday at 11:16 AM by ChronicAndKnuckles

[Einstein's Dog]

On 3/14/2025 at 12:51 PM, ddaryl said:

Other teams will notice if he holds out and it will effect his bargaining power some. I do not think 24 season is enough alone to move the needle to $15 mil a season for anyone in 2025. Maybe 2026 depending how much the salary cap space jumps, but I forsee Cook asking for $20 million in 2026 with that scenario with another 2024 season of success in 2025. Thats how I view Cook the player now, another social media mouth who is more about getting paid then being on a class team competing every year.

In fact whom was the last player to make a stink about getting a new contract from Beane?  Beane is pretty pro active about re-signing players and I can not think of one player who went public with a contract demand during Beanes tenure....  I could be wrong just do not recall.

Cook asking for $20M in 2026??  I don't see it.   At least I don't see him getting it.  And to even be in the discussion Cook can't just replicate 2024 production he needs to significantly exceed it - in yardage and in usage (needs to be in there on 3rd downs).

 

I think part of the motivation from Cook's camp to get him out of Buffalo is that he will not be a 3 down featured back here, thus never worth $15M (much less $20M).  I think it is Brady's vision to use a combination of several RBs, and it makes sense - you need to prepare for a long 20 games, being dependent on one RB is risky (and more expensive in the long run).   Brady isn't going to be using Cook as a 3 down back so Beane won't be paying Cook as a top tier 3 down back.

 

So, much like Diggs saw Brady's  "everyone eats" mantra as a detriment to his individual stats and forced his way out, it's possible Cook sees Brady's RB usage as limiting his potential payday and wants out.  Unfortunately, I can understand the logic from his side (I don't like it but I see it).   Seems unlikely Cook will significantly increase his stats in 2025 in Buffalo so you force your way out now.

[Magox]

On 3/17/2025 at 7:01 AM, Magox said:

 

 

I think what makes this even more impressive is that James Cook was not the option for the Bills to score a TD from within a yard.  Meaning his TD's were pretty much exclusively from 2 yards out +

[YattaOkasan]

6 minutes ago, Magox said:

 

I think what makes this even more impressive is that James Cook was not the option for the Bills to score a TD from within a yard.  Meaning his TD's were pretty much exclusively from 2 yards out +

Maybe not the primary option from inside the 5 (or 2 yards out) but he has 7 TDs from inside the 5 last year.  5 of those were from the 2 or 1.  In previous years it was true that he didnt score from close (only 2 TDs from inside the 5).  But this past year he got more opportunities and was more efficient (stats not readily handy) from inside the 5.  His increase in TDs is mostly because of inside the 5 TDs.  

Edited Monday at 02:27 PM by YattaOkasan

[FireChans]

2 minutes ago, Magox said:

 

I think what makes this even more impressive is that James Cook was not the option for the Bills to score a TD from within a yard.  Meaning his TD's were pretty much exclusively from 2 yards out +

That’s not really true. 

He was more of a goal line back last year than he had ever been and thus had a huge amount of TD’s.

 

11 of his rushing TDs in the regular season were under 10 yards. all 3 of his postseason TD’s were under 10 yards.

 

6 of his TD’s were 2 yards or fewer. 

[Magox]

I'm not sure if there is a reading comprehension problem, I said 2 yards +  out.   

[FireChans]

3 minutes ago, Magox said:

I'm not sure if there is a reading comprehension problem, I said 2 yards +  out.   

No one found it “that” impressive because James Cook’s increased TD number was clearly predicated on being used far more in goal to go situations despite not being used in QB sneak situations like most good running backs?

 

For example, another team that sneaks all the time, the Eagles, all but 4 of Saquon’s rushing TDs were 10+ yards out.

[YattaOkasan]

15 minutes ago, Magox said:

I'm not sure if there is a reading comprehension problem, I said 2 yards +  out.   

you said his TD's were pretty much exclusively from outside 2 yards when 33% of them were from 2 yards or in.  Im not sure you know what exclusive means.  He was very often scoring from 2 yards or close this past year.  Previous years I would agree with your statement.  

Edited Monday at 02:46 PM by YattaOkasan

[SoonerBillsFan]

1 hour ago, Einstein's Dog said:

Cook asking for $20M in 2026??  I don't see it.   At least I don't see him getting it.  And to even be in the discussion Cook can't just replicate 2024 production he needs to significantly exceed it - in yardage and in usage (needs to be in there on 3rd downs).

 

I think part of the motivation from Cook's camp to get him out of Buffalo is that he will not be a 3 down featured back here, thus never worth $15M (much less $20M).  I think it is Brady's vision to use a combination of several RBs, and it makes sense - you need to prepare for a long 20 games, being dependent on one RB is risky (and more expensive in the long run).   Brady isn't going to be using Cook as a 3 down back so Beane won't be paying Cook as a top tier 3 down back.

 

So, much like Diggs saw Brady's  "everyone eats" mantra as a detriment to his individual stats and forced his way out, it's possible Cook sees Brady's RB usage as limiting his potential payday and wants out.  Unfortunately, I can understand the logic from his side (I don't like it but I see it).   Seems unlikely Cook will significantly increase his stats in 2025 in Buffalo so you force your way out now.

Then his agent needs to start working some amazing trade offers.

1 hour ago, Einstein's Dog said:

Cook asking for $20M in 2026??  I don't see it.   At least I don't see him getting it.  And to even be in the discussion Cook can't just replicate 2024 production he needs to significantly exceed it - in yardage and in usage (needs to be in there on 3rd downs).

 

I think part of the motivation from Cook's camp to get him out of Buffalo is that he will not be a 3 down featured back here, thus never worth $15M (much less $20M).  I think it is Brady's vision to use a combination of several RBs, and it makes sense - you need to prepare for a long 20 games, being dependent on one RB is risky (and more expensive in the long run).   Brady isn't going to be using Cook as a 3 down back so Beane won't be paying Cook as a top tier 3 down back.

 

So, much like Diggs saw Brady's  "everyone eats" mantra as a detriment to his individual stats and forced his way out, it's possible Cook sees Brady's RB usage as limiting his potential payday and wants out.  Unfortunately, I can understand the logic from his side (I don't like it but I see it).   Seems unlikely Cook will significantly increase his stats in 2025 in Buffalo so you force your way out now.

I think you nailed it.

[Einstein's Dog]

2 minutes ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

Then his agent needs to start working some amazing trade offers.

Not if they say they will hold out.   Then his value to the Bills and his trade value, decrease significantly.  That could be their threat.  By holding out for most of the season  Cook can still be valued mostly by his nice 2024 stats- with the slight extrapolation of showing the improvement (wouldn't have the expected plateau of all of 2025).  

 

This could get ugly.  If you don't think Cook's stats in 2025 will increase (which I don't with the same people back) then a logical move by the Cook team is to not play in Buffalo (or at least not until week 11).  Cook would want to go to a team that will use him as a bell cow back so his stats in 2025 once again increase. 

[ColoradoBills]

7 minutes ago, Einstein's Dog said:

Not if they say they will hold out.   Then his value to the Bills and his trade value, decrease significantly.  That could be their threat.  By holding out for most of the season  Cook can still be valued mostly by his nice 2024 stats- with the slight extrapolation of showing the improvement (wouldn't have the expected plateau of all of 2025).  

 

This could get ugly.  If you don't think Cook's stats in 2025 will increase (which I don't with the same people back) then a logical move by the Cook team is to not play in Buffalo (or at least not until week 11).  Cook would want to go to a team that will use him as a bell cow back so his stats in 2025 once again increase. 

 

I just don't see Cook holding out during the season.  He sure can't hold out the entire year.  He only has 3 years accrued.

Rookies on their 4th year don't hold out.  It's guys on 5th year options and tagged players that do.

 

I don't see a trade either.  He will play this year and either sign what Beane is offering for next year or move on in free agency.

Those are the agreed upon rules.

 

[mjt328]

Due to the salary cap, you can't pay every player on the team their market worth.

Some good players need to be let go in free agency, and replaced with younger talent on rookie contracts.

 

Brandon Beane's job is figuring out how important each player/position is to the team's success, and factor that into how easy it is to find their replacement.

 

For instance, signing Greg Rousseau to an extension was pretty much essential (even if he's not an elite pass rusher), considering how important Edge Rusher is to our defense and how difficult it's been for us to find players on Groot's level.  Christian Benford is harder to justify a huge contract, when our coaching staff seems to find good/serviceable DBs with relative ease.

 

James Cook is easily the most productive RB we've had during the Josh Allen era.  But how much of that is due to his skillset, and how much is due to the development of our O-Line?  We don't seem to count on him in short yardage, and prefer Ty Johnson on passing downs.  Ray Davis is waiting in the wings.  Does anyone really feel our offense takes a huge step backwards without Cook?  I personally feel like we can win the AFC East without him.   And he obviously wasn't the piece that helped us get past the Chiefs into the Super Bowl. 

 

Edited Monday at 03:49 PM by mjt328