The situation surrounding James Cook and his potential contract extension with the Buffalo Bills has been a big talking point for the organization this offseason.
Unfortunately, the longer these negotiations last — the more folks will speculate as to whether or not a deal will ever get done.
In one recent mock draft, the Bills are projected to spend their first-round pick on a potential replacement option for Cook at No. 30 overall.
Bills Select Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson at No. 30 Overall in Recent Mock Draft
The idea of the Bills spending their first-round pick on a running back may seem farfetched to some, but Ian Valentino from A to Z Sports seems to believe Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson is a real option for Buffalo at No. 30 overall by mocking the talented back to the AFC runner up in his latest mock draft.
Valentino wrote, “Does Buffalo want to pay James Cook $15 million a year? While he’s a good back, they’d be better off trading him for a pick and replacing him with a rookie who will earn as much over the duration of his first deal. TreVeyon Henderson is an elite pass-blocker and explosive playmaker. There’s a decent shot he’ll be the best back in this class if he goes to the right situation, which Buffalo is.”
Valentino’s reasoning behind selecting a talented back at the end of the first instead of paying Cook a market-value contract does make some sense financially.
Cook is coming off of a career year where he produced 18 total touchdowns on just 239 touches and was a consistent playmaking force alongside league MVP Josh Allen.
Cook per carry efficiency jumped from 4.73 in 2023 to 4.87 last season, but did so while seeing 30 fewer carries with both Ray Davis and Ty Johnson spelling the Georgia product regularly in 2024.
Henderson possesses a great physical profile with big-play upside, which is evident by his 48 touchdowns over his 667 total touches at Ohio State.
The selection of Henderson would certainly sound the alarms of a deal potentially not getting done with Cook entering his fourth season in the NFL.
Should Bills Fans Expect James Cook to Receive a Contract Extension this Offseason?
The contract situation surrounding James Cook is fascinating considering how the Bills have rewarded a handful of other players on the roster with contract extensions this offseason, but the talented RB is still seeking a new deal.
On a recent episode of the Fitz & Whit Podcast, Bills’ general manager Brandon Beane provided a lukewarm update on this contract situation.
Beane said, “We’ve definitely had dialogue with those guys [Cook and CB Christian Benford]. That’s probably as far as I would take it.”
Beane addressed the situation further while discussing this negotiation when speaking to the media at the NFL Combine. Beane commented, “Just because we don’t get an extension done now, or before the start of the league year, doesn’t mean we won’t in the league year, or you guys have seen us do them in the summer as well.”
Ultimately, the Bills still have plenty of opportunities to get a new deal done with Cook. Yet, his contract situation is certainly worth monitoring entering the upcoming NFL Draft.
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