James Cook on IG Live - Pins own comment: "15 mill year"

[BillsFanForever19]

Frank Gore Jr. chimes in with "U deserve it".

 

Jonathan Taylor makes 14m per and Saquon Barkley makes 12.5m per. 15 is a wild ask.

 

I hope we aren't setting up for an offseason holdout.

[Process]

His brother tweeted "$20M" about 1000x during the season. James must owe him money or something.

 

I fully expect a hold out this summer. 

[Straight Hucklebuck]

See ya later Cook. 

 

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

[ghostwriter]

He’s worth it. He should be a priority. He’s worth every penny. If Allen is having a bad game Cook can carry the team.

[JimmyNoodles]

Everyone wants a trade chip. Here you go. 

[PauleeeWalnuts]

No one is giving him that kind of money, nor should they 

[Straight Hucklebuck]

Just now, JimmyNoodles said:

Everyone wants a trade chip. Here you go. 

Amen.

 

No way would I support the Bills paying him $15M a season - not when there are several great backs available in the Draft. 
 

He can’t pass block, which means he isn’t a 3rd-Down back, and the 100-yard games are few and far between. 

[TheBrownBear]

He's a nice player, but we rolled out great offenses with Singletary and Moss.  And Ray Davis is good young back to pair with another mid round running back.  If Cook won't play out his deal, then move him for a pick.

[PauleeeWalnuts]

We still have him for another year on his rookie deal, ride him for one more season or trade him away. I like him as player and person, but $15 million for a back that can’t even block and is known to drop passes for easy scores is just dumb. 

[Straight Hucklebuck]

https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/positions/RB/1/2025

[PauleeeWalnuts]

8 minutes ago, ghostwriter said:

He’s worth it. He should be a priority. He’s worth every penny. If Allen is having a bad game Cook can carry the team.

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

[Buffalo Ballin]

We love James Cook. He's becoming a game changer, but NOT at $15 million per year. His game is nowhere near that.

 

$10 million - $11 million is about right for him.

[billsfan89]

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. 

[ghostwriter]

3 minutes ago, PauleeeWalnuts said:

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

I have no idea how much he will get paid but I do think Beane should exhaust all options to convince him to stay long term.

 

Bills fans are looking at this the wrong way. They see a RB, I see a weapon. Whenever we can add a weapon I think we should do it.

 

Barkley certainly helped the Eagles in a profound way this year, did he not?

[uticaclub]

For a team that preaches “signing your own” letting Cook walk while re-signing AJE would send the wrong message

[Warriorspikes51]

I’ll do 12 mil per 

[Cheektowaga Chad]

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 

[sven233]

I like Cook.  I really do.  But there is no way I am paying that kind of money for a RB.  There are just so many more impactful positions out there that make more of a difference.

 

Just look at the Eagles.  Yes, Barkley had a phenomenal year.  But in the biggest game of the season, was he the reason they won that game?  No.  It was the defensive line getting after Mahomes.  It was a big, strong defensive line that reset the LOS almost every play that was able to both stuff the run and contain Mahomes so there was nowhere to escape and make plays.  It was great LB play covering the intermediate part of the field and not letting Mahomes throw over the middle to a wide open Kelce all night.  It was CBs lining up and punching the WRs in the face and jamming them off the line not letting them get into their routes immediately allowing the defensive line to get home and force errant throws to tightly covered WRs.  It was an offensive line that was so well coached that the blitz scheme of KC was rendered helpless and allowed the QB to make just enough big plays down the field to score early and often.  It was a huge offensive line that could get a yard on a tush push whenever they needed it even though the defense knew it was coming.  It was a big, fast, physical WR that abused one of the best CBs in the league in big moments.  It was a quick, fast, WR that could take the top off the defense for a big score.  It was a QB that, while not doing anything spectacular, made good decisions for the most part, made a few great throws, and ran when run lanes opened up for key first downs.

 

Look.....Barkley is great and he was absolutely a reason they had the type of season they had.  But in the end, while it's true he drew the attention of the Chiefs defense, it was the ability of the coaching staff to adapt during the game when Barkley was bottled up to find other ways to move the ball and score points.  The defense never allowed the Eagles offense to be put in a bad situation in field position and they even scored themselves.

 

Cook is a weapon for sure.  He can make big plays and change games at times.  That said.....is he exponentially better then Davis, Johnson, and a fast/explosive rookie they could draft in the 2nd or 3rd round (if we were to acquire a 3rd round pick at some point)?  He only played half the snaps.  He doesn't pass block and still has questionable hands from time to time, although he had a better year in that area.  But is that difference worth $15 mill + per year over a rookie contract?  Is a cap hit that large at that position worth more than being able to spend more on a WR1/WR2, pass rusher, CB, etc?  To me, it's not, but I understand why some fans want to pay him.  He was really great for us this season.

[LABILLBACKER]

1 hour ago, Straight Hucklebuck said:

See ya later Cook. 

 

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

Seriously,  he has his first big breakout year and he's asking for more money than Saquon & JT?  Let him hold out, we need to focus on defense. 

[Warriorspikes51]

We can give him $$$ to make him happy while keeping the cap hit much lower than 15 mil per. Void years…