So how does this Cook's "hold-in" end gracefully (if there is no extension)?

[SoonerBillsFan]

21 hours ago, LABILLBACKER said:

He's nowhere near a top 5 RB in the league.  If he thinks he is,  he's dreaming.  He can't block or play 3 downs. I'd go 12-13 at the very most.  But 15 is crazy.  I'd pay him exactly what Williams got.

11.5 is what I would offer. He needs to wake up and come back to reality

[strive_for_five_guy]

38 minutes ago, Mister Defense said:

 

Good point, hope that you are right!

 

Beane knows, despite so many saying the Bills have all the cards, that this reflects badly on him and the Bills, the great culture they have established--and tout.

 

Hard Knocks just adds the mix, makes it even more likely this is done--and now!

 

Is tonight the night that we all see another side of James and fall in love with him?

[Big Turk]

I see it from both sides...RBs careers are short and Cook has done everything asked of him and never complained about anything. He has been pretty much a perfect soldier for the team, and he just wants to be rewarded for it like all the other players have been who are in similar boats as him.

[DrDawkinstein]

I know the return to practice has already been reported but this McD quote is extra interesting.

 

Wonder exactly what has changed and if that means a deal is imminent! 

 

 

Edited Tuesday at 05:18 PM by DrDawkinstein

[NickelCity]

2 hours ago, Bruffalo said:

It would be so in line with Brandon Beane and the Bills org to drop the new contract at 8:30 tonight, taking all the wind out of the sails for the hard knocks episode that'll undoubtedly feature the holdout as a story line.

 

This would be 🤌🤌🤌🤌. I ***** hate manufactured drama

[Mister Defense]

5 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

I see it from both sides...RBs careers are short and Cook has done everything asked of him and never complained about anything. He has been pretty much a perfect soldier for the team, and he just wants to be rewarded for it like all the other players have been who are in similar boats as him.

 

Sums it up very well.

 

People can gripe all they want about running backs not being valuable, but not once on here, and with slew of criticism and hate for Cook on this forum, has anyone given a clear, makes sense reason as to why this is the case. It is just the way it is supposed to be, they think.

 

But Cook, and most running backs going forward, know their real worth to teams and are going to start being payed accordingly.  And James Cook's new contract will be an important part of that progression.

 

He is doing something very significant for himself, but also for all of the good/great/elite running backs to follow.

 

This new contract will soon be considered a bargain, one of Beane's (yes forced) best moves in his tenure with the Bills.

 

 

 

[PoundingDog]

Read Allen's words carefully: "I'm not going to ask him to do anything he doesn't want to do."

 

 

 

[JakeFrommStateFarm]

59 minutes ago, PoundingDog said:

Read Allen's words carefully: "I'm not going to ask him to do anything he doesn't want to do."

 

 

 

Josh loves Cook

[DrDawkinstein]

1 hour ago, PoundingDog said:

Read Allen's words carefully: "I'm not going to ask him to do anything he doesn't want to do."

 

 

 

 

 

The players understand.

 

Especially the one guy who makes more in a single season than Cook's entire next contract will be worth. 

[Mister Defense]

45 minutes ago, JakeFrommStateFarm said:

Josh loves Cook

 

41 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

The players understand.

 

Especially the one guy who makes more in a single season than Cook's entire next contract will be worth. 

 

Yup, and Allen is not going to let him get away. He understands how important a dynamic running game and back are to his team's--and his own--success.

 

Any more than Aikman would have let them get rid of Emmett Smith, Kelly letting the Bills jettison Thomas, Montana doing the same with Craig, Warner with Faulk, Staubach with Dorsett, Bradshaw with Franco Harris...

 

Behind almost every great quarterback, and team, is a dynamic duo of running back and quarterback.

 

Josh Allen is smart, knows these things. Like almost any football fan worth his or her salt does.

 

 

 

Edited Tuesday at 09:04 PM by Mister Defense

[Rich Stadium Original]

3 hours ago, DrDawkinstein said:

I know the return to practice has already been reported but this McD quote is extra interesting.

 

Wonder exactly what has changed and if that means a deal is imminent! 

 

 

My gut feeling and speculation only is he has been torn from the start from advice from his brother and agent versus loyalty to his "brothers" on the team. Dont think his heart was ever into the sit out, and he knows that his continued absence is hurting the team, his friends, and everyone's chances at a championship.

[DrDawkinstein]

1 minute ago, Rich Stadium Original said:

My gut feeling and speculation only is he has been torn from the start from advice from his brother and agent versus loyalty to his "brothers" on the team. Dont think his heart was ever into the sit out, and he knows that his continued absence is hurting the team, his friends, and everyone's chances at a championship.

 

That's very sweet. And I appreciate someone bringing a "nice guy" narrative on Cook for once. But I'd be shocked if that were true.

 

Fingers crossed for an 8:30pm contract announcement.

[Fan in San Diego]

James Cook has a rookie agent. His agent has never done a deal before, I think that is the problem. Trying to cut his teeth and make a reputation on James Cook's back.

[Mister Defense]

1 hour ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

That's very sweet. And I appreciate someone bringing a "nice guy" narrative on Cook for once. But I'd be shocked if that were true.

 

Fingers crossed for an 8:30pm contract announcement.

 

Love this, will sleep great tonight, visions of the best offense in the NFL, maybe in its history, running through my mind..

 

But why the  8:30 announcement specifically--something scheduled for that time?

 

 

[TBBills Fan]

53 minutes ago, Mister Defense said:

 

Love this, will sleep great tonight, visions of the best offense in the NFL, maybe in its history, running through my mind..

 

But why the  8:30 announcement specifically--something scheduled for that time?

 

 

Hard Knocks..

 

 

What if...for the first time ever, hard knocks delivered "breaking news". I'm guessing the NFL and HBO would be mighty appreciative of that

[DrDawkinstein]

8 minutes ago, Mister Defense said:

 

Love this, will sleep great tonight, visions of the best offense in the NFL, maybe in its history, running through my mind..

 

But why the  8:30 announcement specifically--something scheduled for that time?

 

 

 

Hard Knocks airs at 9pm. It's a half-joke idea kickin around that the Bills will announce something big right before in order to distract from HK.  Likely wont happen but a boy can dream.

[RochesterLifer]

My completely uneducated read on the situation, and its status:

 

Beane offered contracts to all the recently extended players AND Cook. They were all team-friendly contracts, to a degree, but also fair to the players. Everyone else signed. Don’t forget, he also signed Josh to a team friendly (at his stratospheric level) extension.

- Cook decided to break ranks and strive for a top dollar contract. This is certainly understandable and is his right. However, the NFL is a big-time business and Buffalo is one of the most tightly run organizations in the league.

- Beane has reminded the Cook camp (an amateurish group, by any measure) that he has a contract to honor and an extension offer to accept, or decline.

 

The graceful ending is Cook learning these business realities, including the understanding that he cannot reset the RB pay scale on the Bills’ checkbook. From there, he can honor his current contract, join the team preparing for the season and play for a Super Bowl title.

 

This is Big Baller Beane’s team and how it is run.

Edited Wednesday at 02:20 AM by RochesterLifer

[Mister Defense]

19 minutes ago, RochesterLifer said:

My completely uneducated read on the situation, and it’s status:

 

Beane offered contracts to all the recently extended players AND Cook. They were all team-friendly contracts, to a degree, but also fair to the players. Everyone else signed. Don’t forget, he also signed Josh to a team friendly (at his stratospheric level) extension.

- Cook decided to break ranks and strive for a top dollar contract. This is certainly understandable and is his right. However, the NFL is a big-time business and Buffalo is one of the most tightly run organizations in the league.

- Beane has reminded the Cook camp (an amateurish group, by any measure) that he has a contract to honor and an extension offer to accept, or decline.

 

The graceful ending is Cook learning these business realities, including the understanding that he cannot reset the RB pay scale on the Bills’ checkbook. From there, he can honor his current contract, join the team preparing for the season and play for a Super Bowl title.

 

This is Big Baller Beane’s team and how it is run.

 

Well, nice analysis here, pretty sharp. 

 

A good, original take, cutting through a lot of the other nonsense on this topic.  Very reasonable.

 

But I still hope you are wrong! As I want Cook signed for at least three years, and asap.

 

 

[Governor]

On 8/6/2025 at 3:34 PM, TheBrownBear said:

I know nothing about the guy except what the public sees on the field, interviews and social media, so I'm not going to cast aspersions, but it does seem like Beane and McDermott have never really gone out of their way to praise Cook as an important locker room guy or leader in any way, which makes me believe you're on to something.

 

If you’ve seen the mic’d up thing you’ll notice he’s a Me me me guy.  It was a little weird.

[RochesterLifer]

12 minutes ago, Mister Defense said:

 

Well, nice analysis here, pretty sharp. 

 

A good, original take, cutting through a lot of the other nonsense on this topic.  Very reasonable.

 

But I still hope you are wrong! As I want Cook signed for at least three years, and asap.

 

 

Honestly Mister Defense, I hope so also - at a price that fits the team’s plans. Go Bills!