Einstein's Dog

Beane's number might not be influenced but his resolve to keep Cook may be changing/affected. Beane now has a clearer idea of what he is dealing with. For instance Beane may have thought he would offer an extension to Cook of an additional two years (to add onto his contracted $5M yr) and he would have given Cook a signing bonus/guarantee of $15M with the additional two years at $11M each. Beane now would realize he has to be careful that if the last year of an extended contract is in the Bills favor there is the distinct possibility that Cook would hold out.

1. It's not the way the Bills have done it. So no, Beane does not have to accept it, he has options. The top move for Beane would be to trade Cook out of here at the height of Cook's value. Move a top 10 RB as part of a package for a top tier DL. 2. While it's not about staying on top for you, for many of us we are enjoying this ride. Keep trying with contenders, don't sell out for a one year wonder. And mortgaging the future to keep Cook is no guarantee of a Superbowl win.

True, no press conference or demand through an agent. But more than most other Bills players. Kind of like the early Diggs tweets. Has to make Beane a little nervous. Beane did safeguard against this possibility some with the drafting of Davis last year - kudos to him. If Cook can be a factor in getting Garrett or Crosby, you do it.

Actually, Bills fans can find fault with him. I don't recall any Bills players going out in public discussing their salary wishes. By doing this, and at an outrageously high level, it seems like J Cook is trying to go somewhere/anywhere where he can get paid. In a way, it's a pay me, trade me, or this could get messy threat.

Beane's model has not been to pay RBs - quite the opposite. Not only has Beane not paid RBs, Beane also doesn't like malcontents in the locker room. There haven't been many public negotiations of salaries. While it may be difficult to trade for a Garrett/Crosby it is Beane's job. It's not the amount of resources teams have available, it's what the teams will spend. And how many teams have an RB of the level of J Cook that they are putting into the trade? Not many, I'd imagine. I think most fans want a change/upgrade on Defense. An elite Defensive lineman is much more desirable than a J Cook extension.

These "sentient leaders" at One Bills Drive have never paid big money to an RB. And now people want the FO to pay Cook nearly double what D Henry is getting? And I agree, G Davis is not a good comparable to Cook. G Davis played out his contract with no problem, J Cook is showing signs of being a malcontent right now. The FO would be wise to send him packing before he becomes an even bigger problem. Plus J Cook has more value in a trade than G Davis had. The priority add for the FO this year is an elite DL player. And J Cook has just put himself front and center to be a part of swinging for that piece.

But for Maxx or Myles, J Cook is one piece, the Bills would need to put in picks also. And in those instances it helps muddy up the evaluation of the trade metrics which can be helpful. Also with Cook's contract situation the acquiring team would have the advantage of playing all kinds of cap games. While they would have to pay Cook and give him a big signing bonus/guarantee they could manipulate the cap hit over the years pretty much as they see fit. So a blockbuster trade of M Garrett and G Newsome trade for the Bills 2025 1st round pick, J Cook, AJ Epenesa, and a 2026 1st (and maybe Elam), may be a good fit for both teams and fanbases.

It may be too late. Just the posturing in the press is not the way the Bills FO likes to do business. IMO, J Cook should be a central figure in the trade for a Garrett or Crosby. It makes a lot of sense to me.

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.

Did you skip over the post above by "The 9 Isles"?

Well, I have liked that twist the Bills Mafia has made of sending money to an offbeat cause. It's been a signature move that has class. IMO, it has helped make the Bills Mafia a better fan base and one I'm proud to be a part of. Mailing it, I could I suppose. Definitely more effort though. I'd have to write something and then I couldn't really get away with the paltry $17 I would have given.

So, no one gets to win the lottery because others would get jealous? These donation things are not for everyone, if it doesn't fit for you, you wouldn't have to give. But I personally would have liked to donate to someone who doesn't have the sob story background. Just as a show of the strength of a Josh endorsement. I think it would have been cool, I wish it would have been done.

Could have been a nice tie-in if Josh had asked the Bills Mafia to donate $17 to a go fund me he had set up in this guy's name. I think Slick Rick would then have been drying those tears with hundred dollar bills.

Kind of mindboggling to me that this topic has legs at this point. Even for the McD haters this is a reach. Somehow thinking the Bills "underachieved" this season gives a little light into the level of warped, wound up, predisposed hate that is festering inside some of these people.

YES!!!!!!!!!!

But if McDermott challenges and it is not a first down they lose a very valuable Time Out. The play was very close. I think he would lose the TO even if they moved the ball but it wasn't enough to get the first down. I'm a little annoyed with Kincaid on that play for not making a decided effort to keep his knee up. Everyone saw the earlier great play by Cook, making every effort to keep his knee up. Kincaid let his knee go down so they didn't spot it where the ball landed but took it back to their own approximation of where they thought it may have been during his travel downward. And for the McDermott criticism about the call, the play made it. May have been close but they had it. Any other call that didn't work would be getting (rightfully) a lot more flack.

You forgot Shakir/Knox and Kincaid! I'm with you, not the week to force opening it up. KC has had trouble with the slot and TEs, lets see what they have done to shore that up first. Once KC starts cheating defensively on shutting down the players above, then yes, a shot to A Cooper to keep them honest seems reasonable. If we get Washington in the Superbowl, then I would hope the game plan would be to just try and pulverize them from the start with offense.

Will he be back in time for the SuperBowl?

While there do seem to be problems with each, having options gives Beane some room and possibilities. The DL may be the place to put some money. They've tried before (which I like). And with the lack of production from A Cooper it does seem like the FO could conclude they can get the WR cheaper than anticipated. Money (and draft picks) talk. The Raiders would probably listen - new management.

Maxx Crosby, Myles Garrett, T Hendrickson, Chase Young....K Mack

Short answer - No. The ball control offense is one tool in game management, considering factors such as: climate and game script. In slippery cold conditions and playing with a lead, burning the clock is the smart choice. However, in the Superbowl vs say Washington, I would expect at the beginning of the game, the entire playbook is in play. The offense takes what's available with no regard to protecting the defense. After being up a couple of scores, game management comes into play and taking time off the clock is part of the offenses objective.

DK Metcalf

To your point, I was extremely pleased that McDermott sent out Bass to go up 8 with under three to play. It is almost against the new aggressive McDermott philosophy.

These type of comments make me feel a lot of people don't understand game management. This was a near masterpiece out of McDermott and we have people who are so blinded by a preconceived bias they refuse to acknowledge it when it unfolds before their eyes.

Can we (at least the Bills fans) stop with the "barely won" narrative. Yes, the final score looks like a close 2 point win, but lets not forget the Bills were killing the clock with 1:30 left in the game. If points had been needed, the end of game script would have been significantly different. It certainly seems possible that Josh and the Bills could go 45 yards for the win.