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James Cook, who is seeking a new contract, would be a clear upgrade for the Chicago Bears.
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook did not report for the team’s voluntary practices, and one insider believes his absence will extend into the mandatory portion of the team’s offseason exercises.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Cook remains unhappy with the lack of progress toward a new contract and does not plan on reporting to Buffalo anytime soon. Though Bills general manager Brandon Beane had previously said he expects Cook to show up once the practices become mandatory, the new update paints a dire picture on the running back’s future in Buffalo.
James Cook May Return to Buffalo Anytime Soon
Speaking about Cook’s fraught contract status on The Adam Schefter Podcast, the NFL insider reported that Cook is not expected to attend minicamp this week.
“You’ve got a guy who’s unhappy with his contractual situation… (He) has basically disconnected himself from the organization and the city,” Schefter said. “Put his house up for sale… I don’t think we’ll be seeing him in Buffalo anytime soon. Again, the start of training camp will be the next critical moment.”
Though there are no repercussions for Cook skipping voluntary OTAs over the last several weeks, Schefter noted that it will start to get very expensive for the running back to miss mandatory practices and potentially training camp. The team will be able to level fines for the time that Cook misses.
“If they don’t have a deal done there or by then, does James Cook show up for training camp?” Schefter said. “Does he risk the penalties that come along in the collective bargaining agreement if he doesn’t show up?”
Cook turned in back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for the Bills, helping the team unlock a strong rushing attack as a counterpart to Josh Allen and the passing game. He scored an NFL-high 16 rushing touchdowns last season.
No Deal in Sight for James Cook
Cook had previously floated the idea of a new contract with a $15 million per year salary, which would put him among the highest-paid running backs in the NFL. Beane said the team is not finding common ground with Cook, saying earlier in the offseason that there would be no more contract talks.
The Bills have already locked down several other players from Cook’s 2022 NFL draft class, but Schefter said there is no deal on the horizon for Cook and uncertainty about what that could mean for the season.
“I don’t believe that these two sides are anywhere close to a deal at this point in time,” Schefter added. “And as we enter a critical season for the Buffalo Bills, James Cook is one of the more important players there. With a deal not on the horizon, that looms as a little storm cloud over the promising season that’s ahead for the Buffalo Bills… I don’t think the two sides are close now and I think this is going to take some time to figure out.”
The Bills have options for Cook, with some insiders suggesting the team could seek to trade him before the start of the 2025 season.
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty
