Is Cook worth it?

[BillsFanForever19]

24 minutes ago, Victory Formation said:

He’s not a team player, we’ve already been over this with Diggs, this never ends well..

 

He's also holding Youth Football Camps in Rochester and Buffalo on 7/8 and 7/9.

 

Absolutely insane to compare him to Diggs. 

[Victory Formation]

2 minutes ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

He's also holding Youth Football Camps in Rochester and Buffalo on 7/8 and 7/9.

 

Absolutely insane to compare him to Diggs. 

Ok and let’s say you’re right.. You don’t pay a RB $15M-$20M a year.

Edited 5 hours ago by Victory Formation

[BillsFanForever19]

2 minutes ago, Victory Formation said:

Ok and let’s say you’re right.. You don’t pay a RB $15M-$20M a year.

 

That's a fair opinion to have. But why does that make him "not a team player" and drawing comparisons to Diggs? He's not said anything negative about the team or taken shots at Allen on Twitter (like Diggs did). He just wants to get paid. Like many players on expiring contracts do. 

[Victory Formation]

8 minutes ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

That's a fair opinion to have. But why does that make him "not a team player" and drawing comparisons to Diggs? He's not said anything negative about the team or taken shots at Allen on Twitter (like Diggs did). He just wants to get paid. Like many players on expiring contracts do. 

Cook did not go about it the right way. If you want a new contract, don’t take to Twitter and don’t get your brother involved either.. Get it done with Beane behind closed doors..
 

This will be his last year in Buffalo. If you can get a 2nd or 3rd for him, do it..

[BADOLBILZ]

6 hours ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

This is the most leverage he will ever have in his entire career.

 

 

No you are thinking about next offseason.  

 

After he has his best season and answers the questions about his value on 3rd down.  

 

That's when Cook would have the leverage to actually earn a top-of-market value contract.

 

The kind of leverage he has now is probably only capable of yielding about 60% of open market.  

 

 

 

[mjd1001]

I don't think he's like Diggs. From my point of view he seems to be a better teammate and I hope not as much of a diva.

With that said, I still don't pay him big dollars.

 

Is he better than what is behind him on the roster? Probably yes.  If he isn't on the team and you replace him will that position be worse? Likely yes.  But to me, I'd rather have one of the lower priced guys behind him fill in that role, and then with the money I save, improve the team in other areas around him.

 

It not that I don't like Cook or think he is easily replaceable.  But I do think for $15-$20m per year, the team can be better without him making that money IF you spend it better in other areas.

[Doc Brown]

1 hour ago, Victory Formation said:

He’s not a team player, we’ve already been over this with Diggs, this never ends well..

Diggs was already paid and was just too high maintenance.  Cook is an introvert looking to cash in on a season efficiency wise he'll likely never have again when you factor in his age and the randomness of TD's.

30 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

No you are thinking about next offseason.  

 

After he has his best season and answers the questions about his value on 3rd down.  

 

That's when Cook would have the leverage to actually earn a top-of-market value contract.

 

The kind of leverage he has now is probably only capable of yielding about 60% of open market.  

 

 

 

Why would his role change with the Bills and is it more or less likely he puts up better stats than last year?  I get he has more leverage as a free agent but he'll be a 27 year old RB free agent who historically have been bad investments for those that got the bag.

Edited 4 hours ago by Doc Brown

[BillsFanForever19]

17 minutes ago, Victory Formation said:

Cook did not go about it the right way. If you want a new contract, don’t take to Twitter and don’t get your brother involved either.. Get it done with Beane behind closed doors..
 

This will be his last year in Buffalo. If you can get a 2nd or 3rd for him, do it..

 

Cook went about it the way that multiple stars in this league go about it every single year. That doesn't make him "not a team player" and it certainly doesn't make him "Diggs". It's buisness, it happens. It's not personal. Beane is going about things the right way. 

 

You aren't getting a 2nd Round Pick for a Running Back, with one year left on his deal, who is publicly angling for big money. DK Metcalf only got a Late 2nd. You'd be lucky to get a Late 3rd.

 

And the Draft has already happened. So there's no replacing him this season. Any trade would result in a 2026 Draft Pick and do nothing to help the team this season. So we'd be better off keeping him, even if he did hold out (which doesn't appear likely). We'll likely get more with a 2027 Compensatory Pick for using him this year and letting him walk than we would trading him.  

Edited 4 hours ago by BillsFanForever19

[Einstein's Dog]

6 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

No you are thinking about next offseason.  

 

After he has his best season and answers the questions about his value on 3rd down.  

 

That's when Cook would have the leverage to actually earn a top-of-market value contract.

 

The kind of leverage he has now is probably only capable of yielding about 60% of open market.  

 

While Cook's leverage may not be as good as next season, the motivation to hold out is because his numbers won't be better. 

 

The Bills plan is to use Cook the same as last season, and the same RB room is back intact.  TDs are kind of a fluke, and Cook may not get as many as last year.   For those who play FF you would not expect much, if any, increase in points.

 

So the fear for me is if you believe the above ,what is the reason for playing this year?  The "hold-in" for 11 games and get the money you would based on last years numbers - should get you over $12m/yr and a big pile of guaranteed money (around $20M).  Sacrafice most of the $5M now (and risk of injury) for the payday next year.

[Ya Digg?]

20 minutes ago, Victory Formation said:

Cook did not go about it the right way. If you want a new contract, don’t take to Twitter and don’t get your brother involved either.. Get it done with Beane behind closed doors..
 

This will be his last year in Buffalo. If you can get a 2nd or 3rd for him, do it..

This isn't a true statement.  It's just not how you would have handled it.  The brother thing is also incredibly overplayed.  JJ Watt, pulled for TJ Watt to get paid, is that terrible?  Same with the Kelce brothers, are they "terrible teammates" as well?  

 

Too many people are taking this too personally - it's business, and he and his representation made a business decision (one that many players have used in the past)

[jayb1656]

Should have signed chubb

[Doc Brown]

1 minute ago, jayb1656 said:

Should have signed chubb

Chubb's done.  Cleveland fans adore the guy and the Browns would've brought him back if he wasn't washed after those injuries.

[TBBills Fan]

Over under on number of redunandat Cook threads @Simon will have to close between now and week one of the regular season has been set at 13.  Bets can be placed via Venmo with Simon via DM. 

[Doc Brown]

27 minutes ago, Einstein's Dog said:

While Cook's leverage may not be as good as next season, the motivation to hold out is because his numbers won't be better. 

 

The Bills plan is to use Cook the same as last season, and the same RB room is back intact.  TDs are kind of a fluke, and Cook may not get as many as last year.   For those who play FF you would not expect much, if any, increase in points.

 

So the fear for me is if you believe the above ,what is the reason for playing this year?  The "hold-in" for 11 games and get the money you would based on last years numbers - should get you over $12m/yr and a big pile of guaranteed money (around $20M).  Sacrafice most of the $5M now (and risk of injury) for the payday next year.

It's not that different than what Benford, Groot, Shakir, Oliver, Knox, T. Johnson, and Bernard had to weigh.  Do you bet on yourself for a year or take the sure thing right now?  He's not going to hold out Le'Veon Bell style because every GM in the league sees how that contract went for the Jets.

Edited 3 hours ago by Doc Brown

[wjag]

I’m in the sign him camp to somewhere south of Henry’s contract.  He is a key cog in the offense.  

[Victory Formation]

Just now, wjag said:

I’m in the sign him camp to somewhere south of Henry’s contract.  He is a key cog in the offense.  

Anything more than $10M/year and I’m out.

[Einstein's Dog]

2 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

It's not that different than what Benford, Groot, Shakir, Oliver, Knox, T. Johnson, and Bernard had to weigh.  Do you bet on yourself for a year or take the sure thing right now?

Except in Cook's situation he may not be able to improve his stats, so why bother? 

 

His FA market right now is higher than what the Bills intend to pay.

[BADOLBILZ]

57 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

Why would his role change with the Bills and is it more or less likely he puts up better stats than last year?  I get he has more leverage as a free agent but he'll be a 27 year old RB free agent who historically have been bad investments for those that got the bag.

 

Why did he get less touches in the passing game last year?   Because his mistakes in the passing game in 2023 were deemed not worth the risk in 2024.   If he improves in those areas he can increase his value and be considered among the elite.    Get back to 10 yards per catch(like 2023) but with less drops(like 2024).   Put some good pass pro on tape etc..

 

I'm not saying it wouldn't be better for a team to get him now and have him for age 26-28 than age 27-29...........but his contract leverage ain't good right now.

 

Nobody wants to trade a draft pick AND pay him top of the market.

 

Especially before they see what they get from this draft class.......which was one of the more vaunted groups in decades.   On paper there isn't anybody who doesn't have a RB that they at least have hope for.    It's a well stocked position around the league.

Edited 3 hours ago by BADOLBILZ

[EasternOHBillsFan]

32 minutes ago, TBBills Fan said:

Over under on number of redunandat Cook threads @Simon will have to close between now and week one of the regular season has been set at 13.  Bets can be placed via Venmo with Simon via DM. 

 

Despite the hilarious appearance of "redunandat", this post deserved a more conceptualized GIF for the repetitive Cook threads  

 

[Doc Brown]

2 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

Why did he get less touches in the passing game last year?   Because his mistakes in the passing game in 2023 were deemed not worth the risk in 2024.   If he improves in those areas he can increase his value and be considered among the elite.    Get back to 10 yards per catch(like 2023) but with less drops(like 2024).   Put some good pass pro on tape etc..

 

I'm not saying it wouldn't be better for a team to get him now and have him for age 26-28 than age 27-29...........but his contract leverage ain't good right now.

 

Nobody wants to trade a draft pick AND pay him top of the market.

 

Especially before they see what they get from this draft class.......which was one of the more vaunted groups in decades.   On paper there isn't anybody who doesn't have a RB that they at least have hope for.    It's a well stocked position around the league.

No doubt the most expensive way of acquiring a player is trading draft assets and then having to play that player top of the market value.  The fact that the Bills didn't draft his replacement in this year's draft made me think Beane would either give him a new contract extension or let him play out his fourth year.  Maybe he was offered something for Cook before the draft but it wasn't anything higher than a day three pick.

 

I really wouldn't know what to do if I was Cook.  I think I'm playing this season no matter what.  On one hand I know that if it's best case scenario in the 2025 season like you laid out then his contract would be even bigger if signed next year with the salary cap going up.  However, you also face the risk of injury or declined production if our offensive line isn't magically healthy throughout the year like they were the last two.  At his age I pry would bet on myself.  As his agent I would advise him to get an extension with $25m or so in guaranteed money.  You're set financially for life.