Is Cook worth it?

[PrimeTime101]

Answer is still an easy no for me. 

 

1. Snap counts...

2. Third downs have not been great. (The great ones thrive on third downs)

3. He is running behind a really good offensive line (never talked about enough)

4. The JA effect... 

 

And his brother still not doing him favors. 

 

I feel like the repeat of Edmunds is coming... 

Cook has an amazing year. 

We get forced to let him go. (Lack of cap space and repeat asking price.)

Many fans not happy... 

 

We draft another HB...

 

Rinse... repeat... 

[DJB]

On 6/23/2025 at 8:55 AM, Mister Defense said:

 

Great way to build a team...

 

Ignore your team's glaring weaknesses on defense...

 

Ignore the fact that you already have a top tier, and I say elite, running back, and a young one at that...  Instead, create a glaring need by "letting Cook walk".

 

And instead of improving your team, eliminating a clear weakness and turning it into a strength, just spin your wheels--and also just hope that Henderson is as good as Cook.

 

Makes perfect sense. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And what happens if Hairston is a bust and Henderson a star ? 
 

We could have signed Alexander as well. 
 

You have to a little more open to opinion and see  different scenarios 

[Mat68]

On 6/24/2025 at 12:14 AM, PrimeTime101 said:

Answer is still an easy no for me. 

 

1. Snap counts...

2. Third downs have not been great. (The great ones thrive on third downs)

3. He is running behind a really good offensive line (never talked about enough)

4. The JA effect... 

 

And his brother still not doing him favors. 

 

I feel like the repeat of Edmunds is coming... 

Cook has an amazing year. 

We get forced to let him go. (Lack of cap space and repeat asking price.)

Many fans not happy... 

 

We draft another HB...

 

Rinse... repeat... 

 

1 and 2 are a product of modern NFL.  Ty Johnson becoming Kevin Faulk is also a pleasant surprise.  The current third down talk is similar to the goal line and short yardage of prior years.  When given the opportunity he thrived.  Cook is good out of the backfield and able to play out wide in formation.  
 

The good oline is why having a player of Cooks ability is important.  Get 50 yards a touch down.  Same hole with Johnson and Davis is first and 10 from the 22.  Thats the difference and aspect lost in the rinse and repeat.  If they dont resign him a day 2 pick will be used to replace him.  One costs a bit more money but opens up an asset that enables another premium position to be improved with cost control.  

[NeverOutNick]

On 4/15/2025 at 11:12 AM, Billsfed1 said:

Those first few games to me are fairly dicey.

 

Still think he’s a hell of a back and would love to have him, but if he really makes his intentions clear…does he get booed out of Buffalo?

 

When he undoubtedly makes a big play in the opener…does he get booed?

 

Hollins and Cook were the 2 guys not named Allen that really gave us something against the Chiefs.

IMO he deserves his spot if he’ll behave.

 

Is he worth the headache?

He is not worth the money he wants. No RB is worth that money and he’s not even elite to be asking. He’s improved every year in the league running the ball but he’s not a good pass catcher which limits his 3 down capabilities. I love Cook on our team on a rookie deal but this regime has been very successful getting RBs in the draft cheap. Ray Davis and rookie to be named later your up next year imo 

[3rdand12]

2 hours ago, Mat68 said:

 

1 and 2 are a product of modern NFL.  Ty Johnson becoming Kevin Faulk is also a pleasant surprise.  The current third down talk is similar to the goal line and short yardage of prior years.  When given the opportunity he thrived.  Cook is good out of the backfield and able to play out wide in formation.  
 

The good oline is why having a player of Cooks ability is important.  Get 50 yards a touch down.  Same hole with Johnson and Davis is first and 10 from the 22.  Thats the difference and aspect lost in the rinse and repeat.  If they dont resign him a day 2 pick will be used to replace him.  One costs a bit more money but opens up an asset that enables another premium position to be improved with cost control.  

bolded for clarity /expand if needed

😇

Edited Wednesday at 10:23 PM by 3rdand12

[LEBills]

On this team, yea he is worth the $15 mil he is asking for. Probably will get 13-15 here or elsewhere in FA.

[Mat68]

20 hours ago, 3rdand12 said:

bolded for clarity /expand if needed

😇

Don't waste it…. Big hole, blocked up Cook scores.  I don't have the same faith in Johnson and Davis.   Finding backs capable of doing so is easier said than done. That is what the never Rb crowd wont admit. 

20 hours ago, NeverOutNick said:

He is not worth the money he wants. No RB is worth that money and he’s not even elite to be asking. He’s improved every year in the league running the ball but he’s not a good pass catcher which limits his 3 down capabilities. I love Cook on our team on a rookie deal but this regime has been very successful getting RBs in the draft cheap. Ray Davis and rookie to be named later your up next year imo 

Very? Singeltary and Moss are not close to the player Cook is.  I like Davis in tandem with Cook but would not want him as the lead back.   

[HamptonBillsfan]

My prediction is if Cook has a season with more carries and more production than  last season, teams will be lining up to give him 15million plus. Beane is steadfast about not paying him now but when Josh has an underachieving running game with less of a threat to break a  big run, the offense will be limited to mostly Josh and the passing game. That’s not the formula we used to make him the MVP and get to within a win of the SB.

[SoonerBillsFan]

On 6/26/2025 at 1:30 PM, Mat68 said:

Don't waste it…. Big hole, blocked up Cook scores.  I don't have the same faith in Johnson and Davis.   Finding backs capable of doing so is easier said than done. That is what the never Rb crowd wont admit. 

Very? Singeltary and Moss are not close to the player Cook is.  I like Davis in tandem with Cook but would not want him as the lead back.   

I said when we drafted Davis he could eventually unseat cook. He can easily be a starter in the NFL

[BuffaloBillyG]

The more I've thought about this the more I think (in my view at least) that it comes down to how the see Ray Davis. 

 

If they feel Davis can replace next year and not have a notable drop off then you save that money against the cap and put it elsewhere. If they don't feel he can handle it and the cost is in the same ballpark to replace Cook (be it salary for a FA or draft pick), work it out with Cook.

[Mister Defense]

1 hour ago, HamptonBillsfan said:

My prediction is if Cook has a season with more carries and more production than  last season, teams will be lining up to give him 15million plus. Beane is steadfast about not paying him now but when Josh has an underachieving running game with less of a threat to break a  big run, the offense will be limited to mostly Josh and the passing game. That’s not the formula we used to make him the MVP and get to within a win of the SB.

 

Yup, and I think Josh Allen is extremely cognizant of how vital the running game has been, and Cook in particular, to his and the offense's overall success.  When the Bills have run the ball more over the last four years they became almost unbeatable. When not, things get much less consistent.  Dorsey's failures in that area were a major reason he was fired and why he cannot be an offensive coordinator in the NFL--and why Daboll will not be a head coach for long.  He let Barkley get away!

 

I think this is why my concern that Cook goes into this season without a new contract have diminished lately, especially after Josh's words during minicamp.  I strongly believe a new contract is coming soon, maybe before training camp, but some time before the season.

 

The last thing Beane, McDermott, and Allen want in the preseason and season is the major distraction that Cook-in-Limbo would cause.  They believe this is their championship year and know Cook at his best, including mentally, is a vital part of that.  My guess? A week before training camp.

 

 

[3rdand12]

Mister Defense , This is a worthwhile watch.

I don't think they will and ride on a prove it again season.

 And then possibly let him hit FA.

If they give him a contract now , how long before he stomps his feet again and tells Bills he wants another upgraded ?

 I would run him into the ground and ***** the carrot back after the super bowl. Can draft  ( my choice ) or FA pickup with this O line and still have success.

 

 But I am not a very nice person 😋

 

[Doc Brown]

2 hours ago, Mister Defense said:

 

Yup, and I think Josh Allen is extremely cognizant of how vital the running game has been, and Cook in particular, to his and the offense's overall success.  When the Bills have run the ball more over the last four years they became almost unbeatable. When not, things get much less consistent.  Dorsey's failures in that area were a major reason he was fired and why he cannot be an offensive coordinator in the NFL--and why Daboll will not be a head coach for long.  He let Barkley get away!

 

I think this is why my concern that Cook goes into this season without a new contract have diminished lately, especially after Josh's words during minicamp.  I strongly believe a new contract is coming soon, maybe before training camp, but some time before the season.

 

The last thing Beane, McDermott, and Allen want in the preseason and season is the major distraction that Cook-in-Limbo would cause.  They believe this is their championship year and know Cook at his best, including mentally, is a vital part of that.  My guess? A week before training camp.

 

 

I think you overrate really good but not elite running backs.  If we had to go into a game minus one offensive starter I’d choose the starting running back.  I want Allen kept clean, our line to continue open up running lanes, and our pass catchers to use their full talents down the field.  That’s why you can’t allocate your financial resources to give Cook top of the market money while paying an elite qb.

[HamptonBillsfan]

5 hours ago, Mister Defense said:

 

Yup, and I think Josh Allen is extremely cognizant of how vital the running game has been, and Cook in particular, to his and the offense's overall success.  When the Bills have run the ball more over the last four years they became almost unbeatable. When not, things get much less consistent.  Dorsey's failures in that area were a major reason he was fired and why he cannot be an offensive coordinator in the NFL--and why Daboll will not be a head coach for long.  He let Barkley get away!

 

I think this is why my concern that Cook goes into this season without a new contract have diminished lately, especially after Josh's words during minicamp.  I strongly believe a new contract is coming soon, maybe before training camp, but some time before the season.

 

The last thing Beane, McDermott, and Allen want in the preseason and season is the major distraction that Cook-in-Limbo would cause.  They believe this is their championship year and know Cook at his best, including mentally, is a vital part of that.  My guess? A week before training camp.

 

 

A week before camp is fine because this window between now and camp is the cheapest Cook will ever be. It needs to happen before the season starts.

[Mister Defense]

27 minutes ago, HamptonBillsfan said:

A week before camp is fine because this window between now and camp is the cheapest Cook will ever be. It needs to happen before the season starts.

 

I agree.

 

It is something that has not been part of the conversation enough, though there are a slew of posts and threads--doesn't almost everyone who has been watching think Cook will have a monster year this year?  Love me some Brady, maybe the next great offensive coordinator/offensive minded head coach in the NFl, but the one area he dropped the ball on a little last year was not riding Cook, and his other excellent backs, in both the running and passing game. This year he gets it from the get go, is my prediction.  Josh Allen, the best quarterback in the league, may have the best running game too.  Yikes, for the rest of the league if so.

 

I already know he is, saw it with my own eyes, but by the middle of this season, if all goes as planned, almost no one on here will be saying Cook is not an elite back--and one of the best players in the league. (Doc, they may take away your medical license for your poor diagnosis, evaluation!)

 

The Chiefs and other contenders without a Cook would be licking their chops...but they will go hungry because Cook will be signed, sealed and delivered, a Bill for years to come.  If not, 20 million a year may be what he garners, as the running games take on even more importance than last year.

 

Maybe wishful thinking, but I hope not.

 

 

[Doc Brown]

1 hour ago, Mister Defense said:

I already know he is, saw it with my own eyes, but by the middle of this season, if all goes as planned, almost no one on here will be saying Cook is not an elite back--and one of the best players in the league. (Doc, they may take away your medical license for your poor diagnosis, evaluation!)

He has a few elite traits (vision, elusiveness, long speed).  Best back we've had since Shady as far as cutting on a dime.  Lack of contact balance, power, and pass blocking will never put him in the elite category.  He's also surprisingly never lived up as the receiving back they thought they were getting from him coming out of Georgia.

[stuvian]

If we continue our run first ways as we did in 2024, you want Cook to do the short yardage dirty work instead of Josh. Then there's those 18 TDs he scored.

 

We still don't have a #1 WR. Cook was our most reliable receiver IMO. I think a good comparator is Alvin Kamara. If you had Kamara in his prime would you pay him?

 

My answer is Yes. 

[Charles Romes]

Chiefs great run D is set up to stop power backs like Henry and Barkley but Cook is what scares them. They would rejoice if he was no longer on the roster. 

[Mister Defense]

32 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

He has a few elite traits (vision, elusiveness, long speed).  Best back we've had since Shady as far as cutting on a dime.  Lack of contact balance, power, and pass blocking will never put him in the elite category.  He's also surprisingly never lived up as the receiving back they thought they were getting from him coming out of Georgia.

 

I am glad to see that you think he has elite vision, elusiveness and speed--tough from that base to then make the case he is not an elite back, player, Doc.

 

I disagree with you on the lack of contact balance and power--he clearly has those, has gotten better and better at those things with each passing year.  I was surprised that a smaller back was so strong in those areas in his fist year, though he was somewhat inconsistent. It made me think he maybe was what I thought he would be--an excellent weapon, because of those elite traits you mention, but not the main running back on the team, not 'the guy'.

 

But then both of those things improved the last two years.  I think in 2024 he had one of the best yards after contact in the league if I am correct-?  And his (related) power, ability to plow through lines, was remarkable last year--he would not have gotten 18 touchdowns, and many of those not 'gimmes', but ones where he plowed through people, if he did not have power.  The toughest place to run is near the goal line and he was clearly elite there, in his power.

 

And as far as the pass receiving, well I addressed that in my post--he was not used enough in the passing game, none of the backs were, consistently, considering each is a talented receiver.  I wanted to see Cook get the ball from Josh in the open field more than almost anything else on offense last year, but it was too infrequent.  For example, if that alone happened in the championship game I believe the Bills win it.  Not Cook's fault they did not have the sense to throw him the ball much more last year, he would have loved it, and so would we. This year...

 

Well, for both of our sake, I hope I am right about the traits that you think he lacks, as I think all three of those things are also elite tools in Cook's arsenal.

 

We will see soon!  He will run and catch like a madman this year, with no more worries about his contract, his financial future secure. IMO.

 

Beane is too good of a GM and too smart to play Russian roulette with one of the best players on the team, and one of the best in the league.

 

 

 

 

[Thurman#1]

On 6/23/2025 at 8:55 PM, Mister Defense said:

 

 

I really disagree with what you say. Josh Allen does not often put himself out there in support of a player getting paid more--he clearly did so this time.  Just look at the words he chooses in that quote. it is clear he thinks Cook is not being payed what he deserves and wants this taken care of soon.  I believe that the change in tone of Beane last week about Cook's contract status is the result of Josh being back in the house, speaking publicly about what he wants done--and very likely doing so to team leaders as well. 

 

Your examples of him praising former teammates who have left the team are not relevant, not a good comparison.  Josh did not say they should have payed those players more, just praised them as teammates. That is a very different thing than what he is doing for Cook now.

 

Yup, he would likely praise Cook next off season if he were to leave.  Kind of a duh there, though, don't you think?  I laughed at the way you phrased that, as it is revealing:  "We could very easily see Josh making the same kind of statement about Cook when he goes after next season."  It seems, like so many of the 'let Cook walk' posters, you are clear in what you would like to see.

 

Yes, Josh actually said that "it had to be done" in an interview/press conference almost immediately after Dorsey was fired.  But just like the quote I used in my post, and that you reference, it is not found online when doing a Google search.  Because it was not in a written interview, those words, like his comments on Cook  at minicamp,  do not show up in a Google search.

 

I think we will see very shortly the pull Josh Allen has on this team, and Cook is given a good three year extension that better "reflects" his play as "one of the best backs in the league."  Josh is right and I strongly believe it now gets done before the season begins.

 

 

 

He does say things like that. Whenever he's asked. Which isn't all that often. but when it happens that's the kind of thing he says.

 

More, it's the kind of thing pretty much every player in the NFL says when asked about their teammate's financial issues.

 

It's about a half a step up from "He give 110%."

 

Quick example from Josh:  "I ' love that guy. Talk about a great man, husband, father, human being,' Allen said. 'He's on the top of the list when I'm asked about who those guys are in the locker room. We got a lot of love for him and his family, and. yeah, I would love to love to have him back.' "

 

That's Josh on Mitch Morse here:  https://www.buffalobills.com/news/micah-hyde-gabe-davis-mitch-morse-and-more-address-their-future-with-the-buffalo-bills

 

And yes, it's a duh there. He (and virtually all NFL players) compliments guys after they leave the team. But that's less obviously necessary than complimenting the guy when he's still on your team.

 

Josh does it when asked. They all do.

 

You say Josh's words aren't online because he didn't say them online? Do you see how ridiculous that is? When he has "an interview/press conference," as you say, know what happens? It gets video'd. The videos are online. It gets reported. The stories are online. It gets covered by podcasts and internet savants, and their reports go online. they get reported online. This happens consistently, and so often that it's wildly boring that we see these same quotations again and again and again. And again and again. And again.

 

All those things that Josh gets quoted on on the net? He said pretty much all of them at PCs and interviews. Hell, he said the thing you're quoting about Cook at a PC/interview. That somehow got reported on the net, didn't it?

 

The reason you can't find it is because he didn't say it. Again, I'm totally willing to be proven wrong. But without a link (or a page in a newspaper story, or whatever, but proof), it didn't happen.

 

In any case, I hope they do come to terms. It they do, IMO it will be because Cook came significantly off his $15M figure.

Edited 3 hours ago by Thurman#1