- Buffalo Bills. Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills have to settle for a second-tier receiver to compete with Patrick Mahomes
- Buffalo Bills. James Cook is asking for $15M to stay with the Bills: Will Buffalo grant his wish or show him the way out?
As the Buffalo Bills kicked off their offseason program without one of their top offensive weapons in attendance, all eyes turned to running back James Cook and his ongoing contract situation.
Cook, coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, has made it clear that he's ready for a pay bump, one that would take him out of his rookie deal and into elite running back territory.
Bills face key decision on James Cook
The 24-year-old's absence from voluntary workouts this spring has sparked speculation that a holdout could be on the horizon.
Cook has reportedly set his sights on a deal worth around $15 million per year, a figure that would place him just behind Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley in of average annual value.
The Bills, however, don't appear to be rushing into an agreement.
General manager Brandon Beane has acknowledged the situation, expressing both patience and optimism.
"He will be here this year and hopefully beyond,"Beane said during a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.
"James is working," he added in a separate interview.
"He's competitive... and he knows he's got to still show he's James Cook - the guy we saw - if he wants to get that payday."
Cook has certainly made a compelling case on the field.
After a modest rookie campaign, he broke out in 2023 with over 1,100 rushing yards.
Last season, he led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns while totaling over 1,200 yards from scrimmage.
In all, his last two seasons have yielded 2,834 total yards and 24 touchdowns.
Still, Beane has hinted that Cook's production, while impressive, may not yet justify elite-tier compensation.
"There's very few [running backs] worth that level of investment," he said, referencing the limited market for high-end backs.
"Just because we aren't on the same page today doesn't mean we won't be tomorrow."
Quarterback Josh Allen is staying neutral but ive.
"We understand the business side of it," Allen said.
"James is working out and getting the work done."
Whether that work leads to a new contract or continued negotiations into the season remains to be seen.
For now, the Bills seem content to wait, Cook, it appears, is not.