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

[ddaryl]

15 minutes ago, Einstein's Dog said:

No, Cook does not have to play the full year.  

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.

[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]