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

[DrDawkinstein]

8 minutes ago, Delete_Delete_Delete said:

As PFT pointed out recently about players in contract years, I’d be more worried about him sitting out the playoffs as without a new deal there is very little incentive for him to risk injury in the post season. Somebody is going to do it eventually in a contract year/under the tag, just like college players sitting out bowl games became common place.

 

I know he was "injured" and this is borderline conspiracy theory, but some think Lamar Jackson kinda did just that a couple years ago. At the very least, he wasnt rushing to get back.

 

 

1 minute ago, Augie said:

 

FYI - If you had typed the bold first, you would have saved me the time of reading the rest. That is an incredibly “uninformed” statement, and I’m being as polite as possible. 

 

 

 

Know what else you get out of UGA players? Championships.

[Alphadawg7]

18 minutes ago, Delete_Delete_Delete said:

As PFT pointed out recently about players in contract years, I’d be more worried about him sitting out the playoffs as without a new deal there is very little incentive for him to risk injury in the post season. Somebody is going to do it eventually in a contract year/under the tag, just like college players sitting out bowl games became common place.

 

Nothing is impossible, but I think there is 0% change of this personally - and I am not totally sure, but I think if you are holding out anytime past like week 10 then you lose the credit for the season.  

[Terry Tate]

All he does is score touchdowns.

[Bob Chandler's Hands]

17 hours ago, Mister Defense said:

 

Sorry, that is just nonsense, a cliche that cannot be supported in any way.

 

Just because a bunch of people say crap like that, and repeat it over and over, in no way does that make it accurate, true.

 

Do you think the Eagles think that? The Ravens? The Lions? The Packers? The Falcons? The Bills? If what you say in bold is correct, then it is just a coincidence, incidental, that almost all the true NFL contenders last year had excellent running games and running backs. I think each of those teams would likely disagree with your assessment, laugh at the thought of it even. In fact, most of the playoff teams from last year would do the same. Instead most would say their running backs were a seminal reason for their success, vital to it.

 

I can say tight end is less important, or left guard, left tackle, outside linebacker, free safety, the #1 wideout or.......................................................................

 

But it doesn't make it right, accurate, just because I say it, and even if a slew of others parrot my silly comment.

 

But then again, the 2nd point in your sentence is just as nonsensical,  Just  saying something, as emphatically as you like, does not mean it is true.

 

Who says the drop off from Cook is not 'that large'? Not me, and not most.

 

 

 

 

The NFL is a market economy. Look at the average and top salaries by position. It's telling. 

 

Also, those are the best teams in the NFL. They are good pretty much everywhere. You're not proving anything with your non-data based ranting.  

[The Wiz]

So I'm actually curious, for him to accrue a full year he needs to "BLANK" in 6 regular season games?

 

someone fill in the blank for me since it could lead to hypothetical outcomes.

 

-Dress?

-Play?

-Be listed on the active game day roster?

 

Edited August 7 by The Wiz

[SoonerBillsFan]

35 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

Nothing is impossible, but I think there is 0% change of this personally - and I am not totally sure, but I think if you are holding out anytime past like week 10 then you lose the credit for the season.  

He has to play 6 games

[Ya Digg?]

For those of you who are upset with Cook's hold in, Rashawn Slater of the Chargers got taken off on a cart today and wasn't able to put weight on his leg.  He just got paid - if this happened before he got that record breaking deal, there's a good/great chance he doesn't get that record breaking deal.  

 

Cook is taking a major risk by participating in training camp, that's why he isn't participating.  You might not like it, but it's not the smartest business decision for him to fully participate

[Mister Defense]

6 minutes ago, Ya Digg? said:

For those of you who are upset with Cook's hold in, Rashawn Slater of the Chargers got taken off on a cart today and wasn't able to put weight on his leg.  He just got paid - if this happened before he got that record breaking deal, there's a good/great chance he doesn't get that record breaking deal.  

 

Cook is taking a major risk by participating in training camp, that's why he isn't participating.  You might not like it, but it's not the smartest business decision for him to fully participate

 

Wait, are you implying that Cook is not really a super dumb Georgia guy, taking scattershots in the dark, like one recent post seemed to say?

 

That this, not wanting to risk maybe his one chance at a life changing, lucrative contract, is actually a reasonable, intelligent thing to do?

 

 

[TBBills Fan]

22 minutes ago, Ya Digg? said:

For those of you who are upset with Cook's hold in, Rashawn Slater of the Chargers got taken off on a cart today and wasn't able to put weight on his leg.  He just got paid - if this happened before he got that record breaking deal, there's a good/great chance he doesn't get that record breaking deal.  

 

Cook is taking a major risk by participating in training camp, that's why he isn't participating.  You might not like it, but it's not the smartest business decision for him to fully participate

Thank you!  It's business. Every single person complaining about him not participating in camp would do the exact same thing with MILLIONS on the line

12 minutes ago, Mister Defense said:

 

Wait, are you implying that Cook is not really a super dumb Georgia guy, taking scattershots in the dark, like one recent post seemed to say?

 

That this, not wanting to risk maybe his one chance at a life changing, lucrative contract, is actually a reasonable, intelligent thing to do?

 

 

Quite reasonable 

[Paup 1995MVP]

1 hour ago, Mister Defense said:

 

Sound like you really dislike the 'dumb' guy..

 

A solid running back!  Your post is a great example of an early post of mine in this thread, speaking of complimentary football.

 

No one who watched football, and who has watched Cook the last few years,would just throw him in that basic category, solid, serviceable--can you say 'dime a dozen'?  Same thing.   It is why so many of the 'Let Cook walk' posters make no sense--they just say these kinds of things without much thought, without facts, thinking repeating the same nonsense over and over makes it legitimate somehow.  It does not.

 

And it doesn't work the way you say it could--or very rarely in the NFL- Josh throwing the heck out of the ball and running too? A one man show?  Hate this cliche, but Superman returns?  What you are saying works for you is exactly what the Bills worked so hard to move away from, knowing that a dynamic, physical and game changing running game was the missing element on this team. They have it now, with James Cook leading the way.

 

The Bills have been focused like a laser on giving Josh the line, the skill players, the scheme, and game plan to make RUNNING a huge part of the Bills, post dorsey.

 

Each time the Bills started running the ball more, with Daboll, at 7-6 after the Bucs game, and then after Brady took over for dorsey mid season, and then last year, in his first full year as the OC, they became a much better team--and Josh was at his best.

 

In each of these examples the fundamental change was much more reliance on the running game. The Bills became one of the most run heavy teams in the league--each time.  And the Bills, with that balance, became almost unbeatable each time.  Not a coincidence, a plan, with an obvious commitment to the run.   To bring out the best in Josh Allen, making him almost unstoppable with a high level running game at his disposal. 

 

So hopefully Beane and the Bills also don't  see Georgia guys as simply stupid Georgia 'dumb asses' and do the right thing, the intelligent thing, and pay Cook what he is worth. 

 

 

I live in Georgia and am not much of a Dawgs fan.  They have a lot of miscreants on the team.  And yes other college teams do also.  But Georgia has more than most of the other top programs.  Kirby Smart allows that.  And the university administration allows that.  The school itself is great academically.  But as for the football players, not so much.  Schools like Bama and Michigan recruit different types of guys.  Just how it is.

 

That being said, we have won nothing being a heavy running team.  The play calling against Baltimore in the second half of last year's playoff game was way too conservative.  As was the play calling two years ago against KC in the playoffs late in the game.  The play calling in last years AFCCG was not much better, especially in short yardage, lest you forget. 

 

If we want to win the Super Bowl, we obviously need a much better defense.  (which hopefully we will have) and I believe need to have a more consistent stronger passing game, which I believe Josh Allen is fully capable of doing.  

[Augie]

30 minutes ago, Mister Defense said:

 

Wait, are you implying that Cook is not really a super dumb Georgia guy, taking scattershots in the dark, like one recent post seemed to say?

 

That this, not wanting to risk maybe his one chance at a life changing, lucrative contract, is actually a reasonable, intelligent thing to do?

 

 

 

A fair, new and reasonable contract sets him up for life.  Now.  Getting greedy may mean playing the next two years (last year of contract plus at least one Tag year) with no additional protection against injury. Heck, he might not even get paid for the Tag year if he suffers significant injury this year, and you have to play to get paid.  I’d be a pig and get fat rather than face being slaughtered for being greedy hog, but that’s me. 

 

Also, UGA guys are not all dumb….. but taking Dalvin Cook’s advice is not necessarily smart. This shouldn’t be hard for a reasonable person, and I get why Beane may be a little exasperated. One thing it is NOT is personal. Let’s get it done and put this behind us. 

 

.

Edited August 7 by Augie

[HappyDays]

2 hours ago, Homey D. Clown said:

 

I never said contracts aren't all great, but it doesn't mean the team isn't honoring it to the letter of how it's structured.  (Highlighted) For some players, absolutely, for others, absolutely not.  Enter case study: DeShawn Watson.   Let's face it... the NFL is a rather ***** business model.

 

Holding in is directly written into the contract the league signs with the NFLPA. So Cook is in fact well within his contractual terms to behave in this way. He is even contractually allowed to sit out games, at the expense of his game checks of course. You don't have to like it but you're wrong that he's violating his contract.

[Xerx]

12 minutes ago, TBBills Fan said:

Thank you!  It's business. Every single person complaining about him not participating in camp would do the exact same thing with MILLIONS on the line

Quite reasonable 

 

That's just patently false or nobody would ever reach free agency

 

Players play with 1-year left on contracts ALL THE TIME

 

No team is obligated to give out extensions or rework current deals, players can choose they won't take that risk, it's not everyone though

 

Just like some of us regular people are willing to risk injury playing certain sports or mountain climbing etc and other aren't

[TBBills Fan]

34 minutes ago, Xerx said:

 

That's just patently false or nobody would ever reach free agency

 

Players play with 1-year left on contracts ALL THE TIME

 

No team is obligated to give out extensions or rework current deals, players can choose they won't take that risk, it's not everyone though

 

Just like some of us regular people are willing to risk injury playing certain sports or mountain climbing etc and other aren't

 

The good ones don't reach free agency.  

 

Risking injury for a rush while making 50k is different than risking injuries when you have 10-40 million dollars at stake is something else.  

 

And yes, every damn one of us would have that concern if we had an opportunity to earn that kind of life changing money

 

But hey, apples must take like bananas to you as well. Same thing, both fruits

[Mister Defense]

34 minutes ago, Xerx said:

 

That's just patently false or nobody would ever reach free agency

 

Players play with 1-year left on contracts ALL THE TIME

 

No team is obligated to give out extensions or rework current deals, players can choose they won't take that risk, it's not everyone though

 

Just like some of us regular people are willing to risk injury playing certain sports or mountain climbing etc and other aren't

 

It is extremely common practice in the NFL for players outplaying their rookie contracts to get new contracts, extensions.

 

In fact, when that happens it seems to be done consistently.  It is expected to happen. 

 

Teams don't know what exactly they are getting until the new  player shows up on the field. This sometimes makes the rookie first contract not representative of the player's value.

 

That is clearly the case with Cook, so he expects a big raise, playing like a game changing starting back, who can run and catch with the best backs in the league.  

 

It is a 'duh' that he deserves a new contract as he has far outplayed his rookie deal.  And he wants to be paid like one of the best backs in the league, as he considers himself that. I do too and hope the Bills come to their senses--soon.

 

 

[chris heff]

He should get Lamar’s mom to be his agent.

[The Jokeman]

3 hours ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

Bills Mafia erotic BDSM fanfic. Seems like a lot of folks would love to get off on something like this for whatever reason.

 

Weird that so many people saying "you dont pay RBs! they arent worth it!" also want us to use a 1st round pick on replacing our star RB. Instead of being able to snag another WR, OT, or Defensive player...

I like Cook but he isn't worth the $15m he wants. A late first rounder at most costs you $2.7m next year. It's called cap management, you can't re-sign them all.

[clearwater cadet]

On 8/6/2025 at 12:55 PM, Mister Defense said:

 

I am counting on Beane not being dumb enough to jettison his most dynamic offensive weapon, the Bills only elite offensive weapon, and the fastest, most elusive player on the roster--and right before a season with such high expectations.

 

I am betting on the first option, to end this nonsense now.  Something like: 13, 14, 15 with most of it guaranteed, locking up the biggest offensive threat for 3 years for under 45 million.  Should be a tremendous bargain by the end of this season.

 

Soon!

 

 

Agree, in 1 season or 2 12 to 15 for a running back will be nothing.

[JakeFrommStateFarm]

My hope is Cook ends his hold in and plays his last season with the Bills and walks in FA at the end of 2025.

 

The Bills refuse to FT him and that's the end of Cook.

 

I think that's how it ends gracefully

[Thurman#1]

10 hours ago, Homey D. Clown said:

Forgot about Shady.  Yeah, he was really solid for a couple of years.

 

Teams do honor them, they follow it as it's written.  Not sure which example you'd have where that isn't the case

 

 

 

Teams don't follow them anymore than a guy holding out or holding in does.

 

The right to cut isn't in the contract. It's in the collective bargaining agreement. And the right to hold out or hold in, as long as you accept the penalties you incur, is also in the CBA.

 

Teams feel free to cut players before the end of their contracts. It's acceptable procedure. Players should feel free to hold in. It's within the agreement the owners signed.

8 hours ago, Merle said:

Didn't Beane do some sort of "face saving" gesture for Jordan Poyer a few years ago when he was threatening to hold out under similar circumstances?   I seem to remember them re-doing his contract by adding some more "attainable" incentives that could earn him an additional $500K to $1million or so that season?   Perhaps something like that would be enough to get Cook back into the fold for this year, and then kick the can down the road for next season ...

 

 

That's an interesting thought. Worth considering.

 

But Cook will be back in the fold soon enough. He doesn't want to miss game checks.

 

Still might be worth Beane doing something outside the box like that.