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

[davefan66]

I am super conflicted.  Love the guy, but would rather the money be spent shoring up areas that need more drastic help - ie: safety, defensive lineman and lastly deep threat WR.

 

Did Saquan win the SB for the Eagles? No, but he sure as heck got them there. Is he worth his money? Yes.  As good as Cook has been, Saquon is a more physical back and game breaker.
 

I can’t see 15 million/season.  I’d let him walk if it means we can sign a great defensive lineman. Davis, Ty and  Gore can produce the same output with Ty being a better receiver.

[ganesh]

6 hours ago, Cheektowaga Chad said:

Dude is excited, his friends are excited 

 

I bet they all know he won't get an average of $15 million a year

 

Key word average 

That is his bar.  At least he is not asking for 20M a year. 

31 minutes ago, davefan66 said:

I am super conflicted.  Love the guy, but would rather the money be spent shoring up areas that need more drastic help - ie: safety, defensive lineman and lastly deep threat WR.

 

Did Saquan win the SB for the Eagles? No, but he sure as heck got them there. Is he worth his money? Yes.  As good as Cook has been, Saquon is a more physical back and game breaker.
 

I can’t see 15 million/season.  I’d let him walk if it means we can sign a great defensive lineman. Davis, Ty and  Gore can produce the same output with Ty being a better receiver.

Davis/Ty/Gore is not the same as Cook/Davis combination.   Cook is a game breaker and changer..You have to pay him the money.

[Donuts and Doritos]

Cook played 47% of snaps, in part bc not a great pass blocker. Saquan is a 70-80% snaps player who can do what Cook does plus pass block, he's making $12 mill per. (Also Ty Johnson, best 3rd down RB in NFL per Josh, is a FA we should be looking to resign, so can't give all the RB $ to a guy w/ a hole in his game while letting walk a RB who fills that hole).

 

Edited February 12 by Donuts and Doritos

[billsfan714]

He sure as hell deserves more than Dawson Knox when you look at production.

[Straight Hucklebuck]

Couple thoughts:

 

1. Cooks contract for 2025 has already been escalated to $5.265M based on performance. 
 

So could they sweeten it further for one year to keep the peace, maybe, but he’s already being compensated for his production. 

 

2. He’s not going to pull a Le’Veon Bell and sit out his age 25-26 season.

 

3. If the Bills really did move Cook, which I highly doubt based on how McDermott talked about him at the season ending press conference, then I want the Bills to move on right.

 

And that means no Ray Davis can’t be your #1 RB. 
 

No Ty Johnson is not a starter.

 

With so many top end RBs in this Draft I would want the team to draft one in their first 3-picks. 
 

4. Looking at that 2022 Draft, if you sort by RB, there are other backs that have had similar levels of total production. 

[Lost]

Not sure how to feel about this.  

 

Love Cook but that feels like a lot. 

 

On the other hand Beane has a history of overpaying for mid or washed talent so if he's going to overpay I'd rather it be someone who actually produces.  Cook has been excellent the last two seasons.  

[RobbRiddick]

It’s a different world, if I put “20k a year” on instagram my boss would just rely “f**k off”

[SectionC3]

Totally unrealistic as AAV.  Franchise tag # for RBs is less than $12m.  Realistic as to what he gets paid in year 1.  He probably slots in an as $11m+ player right now.  A four-year extension at $44m with about half guaranteed.

[CarolinaBillsFan]

Is Cleveland looking for a RB?

[Maine-iac]

Cook goes out with an injury and Davis goes off for 97 yards rushing and 55 receiving.  I love Cook but it's not a 15 million a year love.  Johnson and Davis could get it done and finding RB's is much easier than cover corners or edge rushers.

[Bullfrog]

Here is how I look at it.

 

If cook was the only rb in the pipeline you need to pay him.

If cook put up these numbers behind a crappy OL then you have to pay him.

 

If the top two are not a thing you need to pass. 

 

We drafted Ray Davis for a reason. 

[nedboy7]

So the salary cap is real now?  

[MikePJ76]

He has earned the right to ask for the moon and the stars.

 

Hopefully its not a holdout situation but he was awesome this year.

[SoonerBillsFan]

Want in one hand and crap in the other, and see what gets full the fastest.

 

That said, Meh it's early.  He is opening high and that's ok.  We shouldn't sweat it right now.

Edited February 12 by SoonerBillsFan

[colin]

im pretty sure if he holds out he gets traded quickly.

 

one thing beane has done is chuck picks and cheap FA contracts at RBs, he clearly is not a big buyer of the star back model.  if cook was a top pass blocker and played 75% of snaps id pay him that all day.  we'd also prolly have a chip.

[DJB]

9 hours ago, Straight Hucklebuck said:

See ya later Cook. 

 

This class is too loaded at RB to be held hostage. 

Yup and why I was annoyed he drafted Ray in a weak RB class full well knowing this year is stacked. 
 

 

We can’t sign all of Benford, Bernard, Groot, Cook. One or two have to go and Cook is the least valuable of the bunch. 
 

Draft an RB replacement and move on. Investing in RB’s doesn’t make cap space sense 

[Chicken Boo]

Yesterday's price is not today's price, so bringing up Jonathan Taylor or Saquon isn't entirely relevant.

 

Cook gets $12M-$15M on the open market.  The closer to 12, the more guaranteed money.

 

He's the only other elite talent this team has at a skill position, so to the "let him walk" crowd - you had better be careful what you wish for.  Thats a lot of explosive plays the Bills would be without. 

 

He could very well end up in KC.  

[DapperCam]

Reasons to not pay Cook:

- We might have the best o-line in football. That could have inflated his counting stats.

- Can’t pass protect, plays less than 50% of snaps. Not on the field on passing downs tips our hand to the defense.

 

Reasons to pay Cook:

- Only player we have with home run ability (only RB since spiller or Fred Jackson).

- No turnovers and great in the red zone this year.

 

I’m kind of thinking you need to let him walk/hold out if he wants big money. Draft a speed RB. Ray Davis played decent for a rookie.

[Chicken Boo]

9 hours ago, PauleeeWalnuts said:

You think he should be paid more than Barkley and Taylor? 

 

I think Barkley should be paid more than McCaffrey.  Not the case, is it?

[Einstein's Dog]

9 hours ago, billsfan89 said:

Gotta start high in negotiations. That being said it is not a realistic ask either. I suspect the Bills will be comfortable giving Cook a 2 year extension that tacks on a little bit more to his current remaining year. Probably be comfortable adding 2-3 million for Cook this season and then giving him a 16-17 million dollar two years after that. 

The up side of this alert is the planning the Bills FO should be doing.  Cook has value as a trade chip for either Garrett or Crosby.  And the draft has a lot of talent at RB.