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The biggest hot topic for the Buffalo Bills this offseason is the contract status of their star running back, James Cook. It’s not just a situation involving both sides, it’s turned into a major drama. Cook wants $15 million per year and Brandon Beane has made it clear that both sides are nowhere near a long-term deal.

Cook is standing his ground and doesn’t seem to be letting up anytime soon. The same thing can be said for the Bills organization as well. When OTAs came around, Cook was the only player that was not in attendance. Then there was speculation that maybe Cook would miss this week’s mandatory minicamp.

However, according to Adam Schefter, Cook is in Buffalo for mandatory minicamp. It’s great news that he is there, but who knows if he will be taking the field or not. He could do a hold-in situation as he continues to wait for a new deal from the Bills.

Source: Bills RB James Cook, who has been seeking a new contract this off-season, is in attendance for today’s mandatory minicamp.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 10, 2025

James Cook being at Bills’ minicamp is a step in the right direction

There are plenty of star players who are seeking contracts that have been reported as not being present at their team’s minicamps, including DE Trey Hendrickson and DE/OLB T.J. Watt. Cook could have easily been in the same situation where he decides to not show up to minicamp. That’s not the case though, which gives some sort of promise that Cook wants to be in Buffalo for the future.

At the same time, this situation with Cook could be going on for a long time and it may never come to a resolution. It is very possible that Cook plays out the last year of his contract in Buffalo and then hits free agency next offseason. It’s also possible that maybe both sides do come to an agreement on a new deal that keeps the star in the backfield for the Bills.

As the summer progresses leading up to training camp in July, this will be a closely watched situation for the Bills.