Cook signed👀 - 4 / 48 / 30 mil guaranteed

[SoCal Deek]

11 hours ago, BuffaloBillsGospel2014 said:

 

I think it could be a combo of the 2, I fdon't think the Bills staff think he can handle the workload otherwise why would they take him out? I mean he came out in a crucial time in that playoff game with the Chiefs, I'm not sure if he was injured or not but if not that was pretty telling to me. Also he's not a good blocker at all which would explain alot, knowing the Chiefs were probably bringing the heat probably played a big factor in the decision.

It’s something that puzzles me about the current rendition of the Bills. It seems there’s a disconnect between the players skill sets and the coaching staff. If you know, or at least you think, the Cook isn’t that good of a blocker then why not design an offense that doesn’t require him to be one?  Let’s face it, the opposing coaches are watching our personnel sets, and I have to imagine that the minute they see Cook on the sideline they have pretty good idea of what the Bills are calling. 

[SCBills]

Contracts are so wild. 
 

4 years / 48M / 30M guaranteed essentially becomes 3 years / 30M and then we’ll see. 

[Ya Digg?]

8 minutes ago, SCBills said:

Contracts are so wild. 
 

4 years / 48M / 30M guaranteed essentially becomes 3 years / 30M and then we’ll see. 

Which is why I love the instant overreactions! This place is a goldmine of terribly negative overreactions when a guy is signed and I’m all for it…I can’t wait for the McGovern vs Torrence threads 

[PetermansRedemption]

Not sure I like this deal… I had a dream that he held out into the first game and Ray Davis went for 200 yards and 4 TDs. 

[MasterStrategist]

@Rochesterfan, not sure why you disagreed on my post...

 

The math is the math:

 

1. Prior to new deal: Cook would have been paid $5.3m cash this season

 

2. New deal:

 a. $15m guaranteed at signing in 2025

 b. essentially another $10m guaranteed by day 5 of 2026 league year

 c. rest in 2027/2028

 

So old = 5m gtd vs new = $30m gtd (essentially $25m guaranteed by this time next season), wouldn't call that a severe overstatement by agent --- as Bill posted

 

[SoCal Deek]

1 hour ago, PetermansRedemption said:

Not sure I like this deal… I had a dream that he held out into the first game and Ray Davis went for 200 yards and 4 TDs. 

Did Ray also kick a 50 yard field goal? If not, it you have to dream much bigger! 😉

[ngbills]

15 hours ago, HappyDays said:

 

I think this narrative is just so overblown. Despite being on the field 45% of the snaps he still nearly doubled Ray Davis' rush attempts and quintupled Ty Johnson's. He had almost as many receptions as Davis and Johnson combined. People act like he was just a cog in a rotation. When in fact he was by far our most consistently explosive skill player and made a big difference when he was on the field. Personally I'm glad they're limiting his snaps. Keep his mileage low so he can continue making game changing plays for the next four seasons.

It's not about production. Its about the use. He did not get a single snap with the Bills down 3 points and over 3:30 to go in the AFC championship. His last touch was with 9 minutes in the game. Decisions like that make it odd you are willing to pay this type of contract. I am all for limiting snaps, but that should not be in the most important parts of the most important games. As I said, its not about Cook being good enough to deserve this type of contract its the value of the contract with his use. Because of how the Bills used he only had 1200 total yards last year. They are winning games because Allen is on the field 100% of the time not because of Cook's snaps. Yes he helps but replacing him cheaper would not drastically change the Bills ability to win. 

[Alphadawg7]

1 hour ago, Ya Digg? said:

Which is why I love the instant overreactions! This place is a goldmine of terribly negative overreactions when a guy is signed and I’m all for it…I can’t wait for the McGovern vs Torrence threads 

 

You want a real hoot - go read the insane reactions and the ridiculous stuff in the original Hard Knocks thread when it was announced.  Some hilarious takes in there

 

 

Those hot takes are not aging well especially for a select few lmao 

[Mister Defense]

8 hours ago, ngbills said:

It's not about production. Its about the use. He did not get a single snap with the Bills down 3 points and over 3:30 to go in the AFC championship. His last touch was with 9 minutes in the game. Decisions like that make it odd you are willing to pay this type of contract. I am all for limiting snaps, but that should not be in the most important parts of the most important games. As I said, its not about Cook being good enough to deserve this type of contract its the value of the contract with his use. Because of how the Bills used he only had 1200 total yards last year. They are winning games because Allen is on the field 100% of the time not because of Cook's snaps. Yes he helps but replacing him cheaper would not drastically change the Bills ability to win. 

 

So glad to see this silly sort of bad take has not proliferated on this forum since Cook signed. I realize you are just trolling, a last gasp of stale hot air because it turned out differently than you wanted, but I want to respond anyway..

 

No evidence here to support this, none, just as in most of the similar takes like this over the last few months. 

 

And: not Cook's fault that Brady,  a superb O coordinator in almost all respects the last 1.5 seasons, made such a bad mistake by not having Cook out there more in the championship game.

 

It is like you did not watch the games last year, or since Brady took over, so did not see the dramatic change in the Bills, since he did so, #1 being the new reliance on the running game, on a much more balanced approach to the offense. First team ever with both 30 rushing and 30 passing TDS. How can that be irrelevant to you?

 

A back like James Cook, who now runs with not only super speed and elite vision, but also power, and who can catch the ball extremely well, leads the way. Just like we have seen in so many of the other great teams in NFL history--great teams often have had great QBs and great running backs. It is the duo that often had created the greatness.

 

That more than anything else made the Bills a much different team, almost unbeatable.

 

So glad this extension will now stifle this crap--for most.  As now they are just blowing hot air into the atmosphere.

 

We got Cook, one of the most vital players on this great offense, locked up for years!

 

 

 

Edited Friday at 02:18 AM by Mister Defense

[HappyDays]

24 minutes ago, ngbills said:

He did not get a single snap with the Bills down 3 points and over 3:30 to go in the AFC championship.

 

That's fine. He scored an unbelievable 4th down TD that kept us in the game to begin with. Our offense was struggling early until we started feeding him the ball. He was a key factor in a game where we scored more points than any other team scored against the Chiefs last year. I'm supposed to ignore all of that because of how the game ended? Am I supposed to pretend that with Ray Davis as the starter our offense would have looked the same? I wish the Bills would invest more in pass catchers that can make that winning play on the final drive, but in lieu of that we still need at least one legit playmaker that can sustain drives and score TDs. Right now that's Cook. He is the only skill player we have that I know can jump start our offense when we need it.

[ngbills]

21 minutes ago, Mister Defense said:

 

So glad to see this silly sort of humorously bad take has not proliferated on this forum since Cook signed. I realize you are just trolling, a last gasp of stale hot air because it turned out differently than you wanted, but want to respond anyway..

 

One of the most nonsensical takes here, and over the last few months, on this board.

 

No evidence, zero, to support this, none, just as in most of the similar takes like this over the last few months.

 

And: not Cook's fault that Brady,  a superb O coordinator in almost all respects the last 1.5 seasons, made such a bad mistake by not having Cook out there more in the championship game.

 

It is like you did not watch the games last year, or since Brady took over, so did not see the dramatic change in the Bills, since he did so, #1 being the new reliance on the running game, on a much more balanced approach to the offense. First team ever with both 30 rushing and 30 passing TDS. How can that be irrelevant to you?

 

And a back like James Cook, who now runs with not only super speed and elite vision, but also power, and who can catch the ball extremely well, leads the way. Just like we have seen in so many of the other great teams in NFL history--great teams often have had great QBs and great running backs. It is the duo that often had created the greatness.

 

THAT, more than anything else, made the Bills a much different team, almost unbeatable.

 

So glad this extension will now stifle all of this crap--for most.  As now they are just blowing smelly hot air into the atmosphere.

 

We got Cook, one of the most vital players on this offense, locked up for years!

 

 

 

Huh. Confused by your rant. If the Bills traded cook many would be saying "he is replaceable" etc. The logic of this board for years has been the Bills dont need pay a RB. But because they do pay one anyone who questions it is trolling and has the worst take ever? If the Bills traded Cook and brought in Najee Harris or similar, how much do the super bowl odds change for the Bills? I am guessing not at all. 

 

I have nothing against Cook. I like the player and like him on the Bills. Much of what I said is he should be on the field more. I have no real problem with the money he got and only question could they have spent it elsewhere. 

[TheyCallMeAndy]

Unless I'm wrong, that is a very team friendly deal

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

On 8/13/2025 at 7:43 AM, SCBills said:

4 years works for me.  He hardly has any miles on the tires from UGA and we don’t exactly run him into the ground either. 

 

One of the arguments for not giving Cook big $$ is he was never a 3 own back. But that also works in his favor as for a guy his age, he doesn't have the wear and tear on him that many other RB's have. So he could have a longer high level career than others.  Like you said even low use in College too.

[NewEra]

7 hours ago, DapperCam said:

YPC I’ll give you, but a lot of those TDs could have been scored by somebody else. In past seasons it was Allen. This most recent season they gave the ball to Cook in the red zone.

And a lot of those touchdowns wouldn’t have been TDs if it were someone else.  I looooove me some Ty Johnson, but he (or Ray) aren’t capable of doing some things Cook can.  Cook was really special getting into the end zone last year.  It wasn’t just the blocking

[RoscoeParrish]

2 hours ago, MasterStrategist said:

@Rochesterfan, not sure why you disagreed on my post...

 

The math is the math:

 

1. Prior to new deal: Cook would have been paid $5.3m cash this season

 

2. New deal:

 a. $15m guaranteed at signing in 2025

 b. essentially another $10m guaranteed by day 5 of 2026 league year

 c. rest in 2027/2028

 

So old = 5m gtd vs new = $30m gtd (essentially $25m guaranteed by this time next season), wouldn't call that a severe overstatement by agent --- as Bill posted

 

His salary wasn’t guaranteed in 2025.

[DapperCam]

4 minutes ago, NewEra said:

And a lot of those touchdowns wouldn’t have been TDs if it were someone else.  I looooove me some Ty Johnson, but he (or Ray) aren’t capable of doing some things Cook can.  Cook was really special getting into the end zone last year.  It wasn’t just the blocking

I guess we can agree to disagree. There is no way to know if another player could have scored in those red zone chances. I think Allen could have scored many of them.

[Carbonpoke]

One of the things about contracts, and being on a legitimate superbowl winner, is the "future contracts"

 

Endorsements and HOF consideration 

 

Legacy stuff.

 

Different ball of wax than earning a top dollar 4 year contract with the Falcons

 

Saquan is unique, he went to the perfect spot

[NewEra]

2 hours ago, ngbills said:

It's not about production. Its about the use. He did not get a single snap with the Bills down 3 points and over 3:30 to go in the AFC championship. His last touch was with 9 minutes in the game. Decisions like that make it odd you are willing to pay this type of contract. I am all for limiting snaps, but that should not be in the most important parts of the most important games. As I said, its not about Cook being good enough to deserve this type of contract its the value of the contract with his use. Because of how the Bills used he only had 1200 total yards last year. They are winning games because Allen is on the field 100% of the time not because of Cook's snaps. Yes he helps but replacing him cheaper would not drastically change the Bills ability to win. 

This is false.  He played 3 of the 4 final plays on that last drive.  He leaked out on 2 passes and missed a block that led to a pressure on his last play.  Then he was removed.  

[NewEra]

4 minutes ago, DapperCam said:

I guess we can agree to disagree. There is no way to know if another player could have scored in those red zone chances. I think Allen could have scored many of them.

Agree to disagree 🍻

 

I’m fairly confidant that he had or 5-6 TD runs that were within the 5 yard line. Probably only 3-4 were 1 yard runs.  The rest were outside of 5 and he was top 3 in 40+ yard td runs with 4.  
 

Yes, maybe Josh could’ve scored on 5-6 of them.  Maybe more….but we’re also in the business of trying to keep him healthy.  That’s all anyone said for years- the Bills need to take some pressure off Josh in the run game.  They can’t him do it all on every play.  Having a guy that could take the pressure off of him in the red zone and in the run game in general.  Cook does exactly that.  And has the ability to score from anywhere. 
 

We need guys that can make big plays in the playoffs vs KC and Baltimore.  Cook can do it.  He did it in exceptional fashion vs KC. 16 touches 134 yards.  6.3 per run and 16.3 per pass.  It’s a shame he didn’t get more touches that game.

[QCity]

So after the smoke settled it's $15.22M GTD, but with his $7.4M option bonus if he's on the roster in 2026 he's guaranteed to have ~$28M in his bank. So a slight embellishment by his agent (barring a year 1 catastrophic disaster of course). There's a painful out after year 2, and a easier out after year 3.

 

As I tried explaining a few months ago, AAV has nothing to do with this. The 2nd contracts for RBs are somewhat unique, as it's all about term AKA GTD money and how easy the team can walk away. So for the past 4 months everyone screaming "he's not worth $15M a year!" or "I would only give him 12.5M tops!" were just yelling past each other into the wind.