Is Cook worth it?

[Thurman#1]

15 hours ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

Not a single person has said that. Not sure what saying that accomplishes. 

 

 

Um, I think many have effectively said this. When you say that we have to get Cook back because he's really good, you're saying that price shouldn't be a factor.

 

My argument here points out what should be obvious but is being ignored by an awful lot of people and posts here that walk around with their fingers in their ears saying "Not listening," when you try to mention price. Many many many posts on here are trying to pretend that this is a yes/no argument, that yes we need to keep him no matter what, period.

 

This proves that there absolutely is a point at which he would not be worth it. Many want to ignore this because it's convenient to their narrative. There is absolutely a point at which we'd be paying too much. And frankly $15M is past that line for most on here, which is why money doesn't get mentioned in many of these posts that say, "Just get him."

[Victory Formation]

6 minutes ago, Thurman#1 said:

 

 

Um, I think many have effectively said this. When you say that we have to get Cook back because he's really good, you're saying that price shouldn't be a factor.

 

My argument here points out what should be obvious but is being ignored by an awful lot of people and posts here that walk around with their fingers in their ears saying "Not listening," when you try to mention price. Many many many posts on here are trying to pretend that this is a yes/no argument, that yes we need to keep him no matter what, period.

 

This proves that there absolutely is a point at which he would not be worth it. Many want to ignore this because it's convenient to their narrative. There is absolutely a point at which we'd be paying too much. And frankly $15M is past that line for most on here, which is why money doesn't get mentioned in many of these posts that say, "Just get him."

I think $10M-$11M/year would put him in the top 7th-8th overall as far as the top RBs are concerned.. I would pay him at that price..

[Thurman#1]

15 hours ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

Again, currently his 4.9 ypc would place him in the top 10 in nfl history. In 2023, he was 6th in total yards from scrimmage.

 

 

is he Barkley or Henry? No. But he is only legit game breaker on this entire offense besides Allen. It is quite an assumption to assume Davis (who averaged a full yard less per carry when backups normally average more than the starters because they got against tired defenses) and Ty Johnson (there’s a reason he’s bounced around) can fill Cook’s shoes. He’s been a great draft pick no matter how some fans try to downplay his success. 

I don’t disagree but there’s some double standards. When we talked about Allen’s MVP case, everyone downplayed all the pieces around him. Now when it’s Cook, people love mentioning the o line. 
 

I would counter that Allen and Cook are helped a lot by the oline and each other. Additionally, I think our WRs hurt them both because teams don’t fear getting beat deep so they play the line closer than they should with a guy like Allen’s arm.

 

 

He has been a great draft pick. I don't think too many would argue. Worth $15M? Pay him what he wants? Yeah, no thanks. Not unless he plays a whole lot better this year anyway.

 

Well, yeah, 4.9 is very good for a career average. James hasn't been through a career yet. In career stats, things generally go down very significantly indeed by the end. 

 

6th in yards from scrimmage in 2023? Yup.

About 27th in yards from scrimmage in 2024? Yup.

Not even in the top 100 in 2002? Yeah.

 

And yeah people mention the OL when they talk about Cook. We've got a damn good OL. They mention the OL when they talk about Allen too. For good reason in both cases.

 

Cook will be here this year, as has been very obvious all along. Next year? Yeah, assuming he's gone, which I do, they'll bring in someone else, in the draft or as an FA, or both. And likely Davis will improve after his very good rookie year.

 

Again, I like him. If he'd sign for around $10 to $11M a year, I'd be very much in favor of bringing him back. Doesn't appear he will, though.

 

Give him, say $11M AAV and he'd be 7th highest in the league, behind Barkley, McCaffrey, Henry, Taylor, Kamara and Jacobs. IMO he does belong behind those guys, with the possible exception of post-injuries McCaffrey. That's about where he belongs, I say. 

 

 

15 hours ago, klos63 said:

Sorry, i can't easily dismiss 16 TDs like others can. 

You may legitimately have concerns about his value,  that's fair,  but honestly,  i think from most fans the reason for much of the criticism is because he posted on twitter a few months ago and no fan base gets more offended than the Bills.

 

 

Klos, I don't think many are dismissing it.

 

We're contextualizing it. That's different. And reasonable.

 

Again, two rushing TDs his first year, two his second year and sixteen his third and many are saying he's a 16 a year guy. He's not. He's a 16 in 2024 guy.

[bmur66]

Running backs often go downhill quickly and have shorter careers. Can’t blame the man for wanting to cash in now while he is hitting his prime. I just hope in the end he is reasonable and balances team needs with his own desires. If they want to win the big one they all have to give up some as many Bills players have shown they are willing to do.

[ColoradoBills]

On 6/10/2025 at 7:18 PM, Billsfed1 said:

The fact that he showed up to camp tells me his agent backed off somewhat.  

They’ll probably still put up a fight, but settle around 12…12.5. His actual worth.

 

He could take a gamble and wait but why?  If he takes the 12, he’ll be the guy on the Bills for the next 5 years at least.  

It’s a great situation.  Good owner, good team…why hold out for an extra 3 mil to play for the Jacksonville’s of the world?

 

Take the deal James

 

$12.5M was my "Beane top number".  I think Beane sticks to it.  Cook will test the market in March and end up taking that deal.

His 2026 cap hit would be manageable and in 2027 Knox and Samuel come off the books.

That's the year I see them starting to push Josh's money way out too.

IMO FWIW.

[billsfan89]

10 hours ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

$12.5M was my "Beane top number".  I think Beane sticks to it.  Cook will test the market in March and end up taking that deal.

His 2026 cap hit would be manageable and in 2027 Knox and Samuel come off the books.

That's the year I see them starting to push Josh's money way out too.

IMO FWIW.

 

I do think given how Brady values not only a traditional running game but also running backs that can catch the ball well I think Beane is going to be willing to pay a good price for Cook but he's not gonna overpay for him either. 12-12.5 seems like a fair we are willing to pay you but not over pay you type number. 

[TBBills Fan]

It has finally come out why James Cook showed up to camp

 

[Big Turk]

On 6/11/2025 at 12:18 PM, klos63 said:

Sorry, i can't easily dismiss 16 TDs like others can. 

You may legitimately have concerns about his value,  that's fair,  but honestly,  i think from most fans the reason for much of the criticism is because he posted on twitter a few months ago and no fan base gets more offended than the Bills.

 

Don't dismiss it, but also don't dismiss the combined 4 rushing TD's he had the two years prior. I would expect a serious regression to the mean. Much more likely to have 6-8 TDs this year than 16(18 counting receiving TDs as well) again.

 

Would expect last year's output to likely be an outlier over his career and likely his career high point, and you never pay someone based on an outlier year---well, I mean poorly run teams do it a lot, but it's not something you want to see the Bills do.

 

Bills paying him based on a career best year is not a wise financial decision.

Edited 11 hours ago by Big Turk

[Simon]

4 hours ago, TBBills Fan said:

It has finally come out why James Cook showed up to camp

 

 

Once the Bills let Cook walk sail, maybe it will be safe for them to sign Hawaiian players again. 

[Big Turk]

Just now, Simon said:

 

Once the Bills let Cook walk sail, maybe it will be safe for them to sign Hawaiian players again. 

 

Only if they promise not to wear grass skirts during warmups

[Simon]

8 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

Only if they promise not to wear grass skirts during warmups

 

I want to see them doing monkey rolls while they're wearing them

[TBBills Fan]

3 hours ago, Simon said:

 

Once the Bills let Cook walk sail, maybe it will be safe for them to sign Hawaiian players again. 

This man spits facts!

 

 

[klos63]

5 hours ago, Big Turk said:

 

Don't dismiss it, but also don't dismiss the combined 4 rushing TD's he had the two years prior. I would expect a serious regression to the mean. Much more likely to have 6-8 TDs this year than 16(18 counting receiving TDs as well) again.

 

Would expect last year's output to likely be an outlier over his career and likely his career high point, and you never pay someone based on an outlier year---well, I mean poorly run teams do it a lot, but it's not something you want to see the Bills do.

 

Bills paying him based on a career best year is not a wise financial decision.

With that logic we really have no RB's on the roster worth much of a contract. 

Can't expect much more than 3 rushing TDs from Davis or 1 from Ty.

 

Yeah, not many players put up neck to back 18td seasons,  but this is no ordinary offense, we were the highest scoring team in the league.  This is becoming a run first offense and Cook excels in that.  We sign him to an extension,  might even lower this years cap number. 

Honestly,  never seen a high drafted player coming off such a tremendous season with so many wanting him gone.  

This is what the Sabres do,  not the Bills.

[RochesterLifer]

16 minutes ago, klos63 said:

With that logic we really have no RB's on the roster worth much of a contract. 

Can't expect much more than 3 rushing TDs from Davis or 1 from Ty.

 

Yeah, not many players put up neck to back 18td seasons,  but this is no ordinary offense, we were the highest scoring team in the league.  This is becoming a run first offense and Cook excels in that.  We sign him to an extension,  might even lower this years cap number. 

Honestly,  never seen a high drafted player coming off such a tremendous season with so many wanting him gone.  

This is what the Sabres do,  not the Bills.

I don’t think anyone wants him gone. Speaking only for myself, I hope we extend him without disrupting the Bills salary cap structure. The conversation is about “at what cost?”.

[klos63]

25 minutes ago, RochesterLifer said:

I don’t think anyone wants him gone. Speaking only for myself, I hope we extend him without disrupting the Bills salary cap structure. The conversation is about “at what cost?”.

That's almost always the question.

We can structure a contract with heavier cap hits late in the term. I happens all the time,  but it's interesting that when it comes to Cook, i don't hear anyone brining I that approach to the contract. 

[Big Turk]

55 minutes ago, klos63 said:

With that logic we really have no RB's on the roster worth much of a contract. 

Can't expect much more than 3 rushing TDs from Davis or 1 from Ty.

 

Yeah, not many players put up neck to back 18td seasons,  but this is no ordinary offense, we were the highest scoring team in the league.  This is becoming a run first offense and Cook excels in that.  We sign him to an extension,  might even lower this years cap number. 

Honestly,  never seen a high drafted player coming off such a tremendous season with so many wanting him gone.  

This is what the Sabres do,  not the Bills.

 

Nobody wants him gone. Most people don't want to pay him a contract he doesn't deserve based on his body of work either tho.

[klos63]

42 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

Nobody wants him gone. Most people don't want to pay him a contract he doesn't deserve based on his body of work either tho.

Ignore the dramatic improvement in his game and 18 tds, but determine his worth by his previous 2 seasons.  Makes no sense whatsoever. 

I still think it's fans who are easily butthurt and are so offended that he tweeted a few times about the money. 

[Big Turk]

12 minutes ago, klos63 said:

Ignore the dramatic improvement in his game and 18 tds, but determine his worth by his previous 2 seasons.  Makes no sense whatsoever. 

I still think it's fans who are easily butthurt and are so offended that he tweeted a few times about the money. 

 

Nobody is ignoring it. Acting like this is going to be his baseline is foolish tho.

 

His true value is somewhere in the middle and paying someone after what likely will be a career best season isn't smart.  You are doing exactly what most people do in the stock market...buy at the all time high and then sell when it loses value.

 

If they could get a deal done for $10-11 million, I'm all for paying him. $15 million? No.

 

He wants to be paid as if he will have that season every year and the Bills want to pay him as if that's likely an outlier season but they still value him as a very good but not elite player.

 

And that's smart business for the Bills. And Cook is right to try and use his last season as leverage to get overpaid, but the Bills simply aren't dumb enough to do it.

 

Edited 3 hours ago by Big Turk

[klos63]

3 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

Nobody is ignoring it. Acting like this is going to be his baseline is foolish tho.

 

His true value is somewhere in the middle and paying someone after what likely will be a career best season isn't smart.  You are doing exactly what most people do in the stock market...buy at the all time high and then sell when it loses value.

 

If they could get a deal done for $10-11 million, I'm all for paying him. $15 million? No.

 

He wants to be paid as if he will have that season every year and the Bills want to pay him as if that's likely an outlier season but they still value him as a very good but not elite player.

 

 

Who does that? Hahaha. 

Most people do that? Really?

[klos63]

12 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

Nobody is ignoring it. Acting like this is going to be his baseline is foolish tho.

 

His true value is somewhere in the middle and paying someone after what likely will be a career best season isn't smart.  You are doing exactly what most people do in the stock market...buy at the all time high and then sell when it loses value.

 

If they could get a deal done for $10-11 million, I'm all for paying him. $15 million? No.

 

He wants to be paid as if he will have that season every year and the Bills want to pay him as if that's likely an outlier season but they still value him as a very good but not elite player.

 

And that's smart business for the Bills. And Cook is right to try and use his last season as leverage to get overpaid, but the Bills simply aren't dumb enough to do it.

 

So the 10-11 million you're OK with paying, isn't that paying a premium based on last season,  certainly it can't be for his first 2 seasons.