James Cook absent from OTA's

[C.Biscuit97]

4 hours ago, Luka said:

I love Cook. I would also love if Beane was able to trade him for draft capital. Josh Allen is the guy that gets paid on offense. Everybody eats but that also means everybody gets paid accordingly. With the best QB in the league, the skill positions can be replaced, that's just the fact of the situation. His touchdowns were a product of not wanting to send our franchise into the middle trying to reach and score and risk injury. I think Ray or Ty could also fill that role or if the draft a Skateboo in the 4th to pound the rock. 

Cook was the best player in the afc championship game. If he was given the ball more, we might have gone to the SB.

 

also, Cook was only behind Barkley and Henry (with far less carries) of 40 yard runs. I know it’s that pre beak-up thing where you have to say how she isn’t that hot, but Cook was a stud last year 

Edited April 25 by C.Biscuit97

[MikePJ76]

34 minutes ago, Returntoglory said:

"Technically"

He has a contract this year.

[Rocky Landing]

20 minutes ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

Cook was the best player in the afc championship game. If he was given the ball more, we might have gone to the SB.

 

also, Cook was only behind Barkley and Henry (with far less carries) of 40 yard runs. I know it’s that pre beak-up thing where you have to say how she isn’t that hot, but Cook was a stud last year 

I think more accurately, Cook was a stud towards the end of the year, and into the playoffs.

[Luka]

2 hours ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

Cook was the best player in the afc championship game. If he was given the ball more, we might have gone to the SB.

 

also, Cook was only behind Barkley and Henry (with far less carries) of 40 yard runs. I know it’s that pre beak-up thing where you have to say how she isn’t that hot, but Cook was a stud last year 

 

Where did I say he wasn't a great player? No need to turn what I said into something to fit a narrative you want to write.

 

Cook is the 2nd best player on offense, but if he wants out or Beane knows he isn't paying him $15 million a year, the time to move on is when you can get compensation. That's the business part of football. 

[LEBills]

Pay the man

[bmur66]

Beane will now focus on somehow making Cook happy for this year at least.

[dave mcbride]

On 4/24/2025 at 12:09 PM, Rocky Landing said:

A few thoughts on Cook:

• Missing OTAs is not a big deal. But, I suspect it's not just about missing OTAs that might stick in Beane's craw, but the public means in which Cook has dealt with his contract frustration. Beane has said as much. Missing OTAs is just icing on the ***** cake.
• A lot of posters have brought up what a great season Cook just had, but It strikes me that Cook finished last season exceptionally strong. IMO (and some might argue this), if you look at the tape from Cook midseason, and compare it to Cook in the playoffs, he really came on strong towards the end of the season. And it makes me wonder-- did he (or the O-line?) get better as the season progressed, or did he play harder? Which begs the question: if it's the latter, how will he play after he gets paid?
• Ty Johnson is every bit as fast as James Cook, but I believe Cook has better acceleration, and better yards after contact. But Ty Johnson is the better receiver by a mile.

I've never really understood the contract strategy of holding out, or backing off from the team when a player is unhappy with their contract, or is seeking an extension. But, it happens so often that there's obviously something to it. Personally, in my career, I've been freelance for 34 years, and so there have been many jobs in which I felt I was being underpaid. But, I never worked down to the value I felt they were placing on me. My strategy was always to show the company I was worth more, and that's worked out well for me over the years.

Call me crazy, but I want players who play better in the latter part of the season and the playoffs.

[Rocky Landing]

10 hours ago, dave mcbride said:

Call me crazy, but I want players who play better in the latter part of the season and the playoffs.

Sure. Doesn't answer the question, though.

On 4/26/2025 at 5:45 PM, LEBills said:

Pay the man

Pay him what? The $15M he's asking for?

[BillsFanForever19]

13 hours ago, bmur66 said:

Beane will now focus on somehow making Cook happy for this year at least.

 

He doesn't seem concerned. Between that and the Schefter reported that he'll play for us, I'm not either.

 

Beane talked about him yesterday:

 

Quote

"I've been very comfortable with James the whole time. I hope everyone's seen that. We love James. I call him Jimbo. We love Jimbo. NOTHING has changed. The business is the business. If Jimbo walked through those doors, i'd give him a big hug and I believe he would do the same. And that's the god's honest truth. I don't let the business effect, like I understand it, and I think the outside world sometimes tries to make things bigger than they are. Social Media, I know, adds to that. Jimbo has a big heart. He's a competitive dude. He wants to win. And nothing, NOTHING, gives me any concern about Jimbo being ready to play football for the Buffalo Bills this year."

 

 

[Richard Noggin]

On 4/25/2025 at 6:36 PM, Luka said:

 

Where did I say he wasn't a great player? No need to turn what I said into something to fit a narrative you want to write.

 

Cook is the 2nd best player on offense, but if he wants out or Beane knows he isn't paying him $15 million a year, the time to move on is when you can get compensation. That's the business part of football. 

 

Unless the Bills can get another year of maximum effort out of Jimbo as he makes his final case for $15-20M AAV in FA. Beane has shown a consistent comfort-level with guys playing on 1-year or expiring deals.

 

I agree that trading him now would be the Patriots/Chiefs method of maximizing value, but there is another way to derive future value while also maximizing that last contract season: play it out. Jimbo can ball out one more time by maximizing his freshness with ~40% usage and earn that deal he seeks. The Bills can get that cheapish 4th year production AND a boost to their 2026 compensatory equation when Jimbo signs elsewhere. Or if he doesn't find his market, they could potentially have him back at a price they deem reasonable (doubt that one). 

 

RBs playing hardball while still under contract hasn't worked out GREAT for them in recent history. 

 

Cook is dynamic with the ball in his hands, no doubt. Special, really. But he's not a $15-20M guy IMDO (in my dumble opinion™️). One could make the argument that he's not worth it simply because the Bills are still paying too much to many former players who weren't worth it either.  

[BillsFanForever19]

1 hour ago, Richard Noggin said:

I agree that trading him now would be the Patriots/Chiefs method of maximizing value, but there is another way to derive future value while also maximizing that last contract season: play it out. 

 

On top of that, I don't think there would be any difference between the type of pick you'd be able to Trade him for and the type of pick you'd get as a Comp Pick if we lost him.

 

A Running Back, on the last year of his deal, wanting top dollar money isn't going to get you much of anything. I wouldn't be surprised if the Comp pick we ended up getting was worth more than what his Trade value would be.

 

And now that the Draft is over, we really can't afford to Trade him anyways. Trade him for a Pick in 2026 and roll the season with Ray Davis and Ty Johnson? Nah. If we're going to do that, we'd be better off even if he did Hold Out for a little bit.

 

We're riding with Jimbo 💪

[Big Blitz]

Hmmmm

[LEBills]

2 minutes ago, Big Blitz said:

Hmmmm

pay the man!

[BillsFanForever19]

4 minutes ago, Big Blitz said:

Hmmmm

 

Half expected to see someone post "he's saying he's butting heads with Josh - cancer get him out of here!"

[Buffalo716]

On 4/25/2025 at 4:00 PM, C.Biscuit97 said:

Cook was the best player in the afc championship game. If he was given the ball more, we might have gone to the SB.

 

also, Cook was only behind Barkley and Henry (with far less carries) of 40 yard runs. I know it’s that pre beak-up thing where you have to say how she isn’t that hot, but Cook was a stud last year 

We also had a monster offensive line.. I really like cook like him since draft day

 

He's not irreplaceable behind our offensive line 

 

They are going to open up holes for the foreseeable future for any running back who gets to go into training camp with a groove

[White Linen]

39 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

We also had a monster offensive line.. I really like cook like him since draft day

 

He's not irreplaceable behind our offensive line 

 

They are going to open up holes for the foreseeable future for any running back who gets to go into training camp with a groove

 

I think you make good points about the offensive line but I also disagree that any RB can replace Cook's production.

 

I'm not saying he's irreplaceable but he's not easily replaced, IMO.

 

[Buffalo716]

8 minutes ago, White Linen said:

 

I think you make good points about the offensive line but I also disagree that any RB can replace Cook's production.

 

I'm not saying he's irreplaceable but he's not easily replaced, IMO.

 

His 40 plus yard runs might not be easily replaced.. but his running between the twenties at the NFL level is absolutely replaceable with our offensive line 

 

He had so many runs where he was not touched within the first four five yards past the line of scrimmage.. plenty of NFL caliber running backs can replicate that 

 

You just might need to platoon two or three guys to get the touchdown total because he was good inside the 10 with his burst

[Scott7975]

I think Cook is a star on this team based on last years play. I'd like to see that carry into this season as well. 15 mil is a lot for a RB especially when he has only really had one great year. I don't think many RBs deserve or should be paid that kind of money. However, if they are going to continue to cheap out on WR then they might as well pay a RB.

[GunnerBill]

7 hours ago, Buffalo716 said:

His 40 plus yard runs might not be easily replaced.. but his running between the twenties at the NFL level is absolutely replaceable with our offensive line 

 

He had so many runs where he was not touched within the first four five yards past the line of scrimmage.. plenty of NFL caliber running backs can replicate that 

 

You just might need to platoon two or three guys to get the touchdown total because he was good inside the 10 with his burst

 

This is fair. It is his take it to the house, explosives I think are hard to replace. And because we don't have a super explosive pass game beyond Josh scramble drills I think they have more value than they might in other situations. 

 

What I would also say is while our line definitely created a ton of good holes last year Cook has such good vision and that plays a part too. Davis found the big holes when they were there but he wasn't as good at finding the smaller creases as Jimbo. 

 

On the subject of the insta posts.... I am pretty confident at this stage that Cook will play this year contract or not. He will hold out as long as he can, but he isn't going to not play. The fact he is still positing Bills photos suggests he still wants to be on the team and this is just the business side where his agent is trying to maximise negotiating leverage - as he is totally within his rights to do.

[MikePJ76]

9 hours ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

Half expected to see someone post "he's saying he's butting heads with Josh - cancer get him out of here!"

me too.  How quickly fans turn on players is really fascinating to me.  

 

Also this nonsense about easily replaceable being used on cook all the time is just as fascinating to me.

 

This team needs cook and the other two backs to win.  I know this place and most of the internet is obsessed with WR's but I mean its right in front of everyones face what the running game is here and most still can not see it.