The Buffalo Bills won’t be reaching a new contract agreement with running back James Cook anytime soon, sparking speculation that the team could find a new home for the league leader in touchdowns.
Cook has publicly floated the idea of a new contract giving him $15 million per year, which would make him the league’s second-highest-paid back, behind only All-Pro Christian McCaffrey. The Bills have not been on the same page, with general manager Brandon Beane saying the team is not close to Cook on a deal and won’t be working on it anytime soon.
That has led to rumors that the Bills could trade Cook, a drastic move but one that the team has pursued for other top players in the past.
Bills Could Find Willing Partner
Jarrett Bailey of The Sporting News pointed out that the Bills have been willing to make tough decisions on players before, moving on from wide receiver Stefon Diggs last year while his value was still high.
“Should Cook fit into a similar boat, would the Bills do something similar?” Bailey wrote. “It’s possible, especially in this running back renaissance where guys like Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley, and Derrick Henry have shown everyone the difference-makers they are on contending teams. Cook has shown that in his own right, and there would be teams calling.”
Cook played a major role in the team’s offense, topping 1,000 yards last season while scoring a league-leading 16 rushing touchdowns.
Bailey floated the Dallas Cowboys as a potential destination, noting that the team already signed Cook’s older brother, Dalvin Cook. Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson could also utilize Cook in the same way he did Jahmyr Gibbs when he was the offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions, Bailey added.
“The market would be there, it would just come down to how the Bills feel about the likelihood of extending Cook, and if the relationship between team and player is in a good spot,” Bailey wrote.
Ominous Signs Around James Cook
The Bills handed contract extensions to a series of key players this offseason, including wide receiver Khalil Shakir and cornerback Christian Benford, both members of the draft class of 2022 along with Cook.
But Beane said the team is not close to a new contract with Cook and likely won’t be visiting talks anytime soon.
“I love Jimbo, proud of his success, just like these other guys that we got extended,” Beane said at the Annual League Meeting, via NFL.com. “I don’t talk about negotiations, I would say his reps and him did put it out there that we did talk, so I’m not sharing anything new. It didn’t lead to anything as far as closing in on a deal, so we moved onto the guys that we were more on the same page with.
“At this point, we’re on to the draft, once we got (Christian) Benford done. I don’t see us doing any deals anytime soon.”
Cook could be preparing for his final season in Buffalo. As WIVB-4 in Buffalo reported, the running back listed his Buffalo-area home for sale this week.
“This week, Cook’s Orchard Park residence went up for sale, complete with photos of game balls and framed jerseys in the listing,” the report noted. “Records show the property was purchased in 2022 by a Minnesota LLC owned by Cook’s brother, former Vikings star Dalvin Cook.”
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