James Cook DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook skipped the initial portion of the team's voluntary offseason workout program, but general manager Brandon Beane expects him to be ready for football when the time comes. Cook's holdout stems from contract talks, which are ongoing between the running back and team executives. "I know we've had people in the building that he's been talking with, and I have no doubt when it's time to play football, he'll be ready to roll," Beane said. Although an exact timeline is unclear, Cook could return as soon as June 10, when the Bills begin their mandatory minicamp for veteran players. Per the terms of the CBA, any player who misses all three days of mandatory minicamp will be hit with fines exceeding $100,000 total. That amount could be a drop in the bucket compared to Cook's next contract, but it's still a significant price to pay for missing three days of practice. Extending Cook would be in the Bills' best interest after he totaled 1,267 scrimmage yards and a career-high 18 touchdowns last season.

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook did not report to the start of the organization's voluntary OTAs, according to general manager Brandon Beane. The former second-round pick out of Georgia posted his second consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season in 2024 and is seeking a contract extension worth $15 million annually. In 16 games last season, Cook posted 1,009 yards on 207 carries and caught 32 passes for 258 yards. He found the end zone 18 times. It remains to be seen if Cook is a candidate to hold out of mandatory OTAs or training camp, but for now, it's too early to have any significant takeaways. If he's the clear starter in Buffalo next season, he'll continue to have RB1 upside in an offense led by MVP quarterback Josh Allen.

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook has been vocal about wanting a contract extension. Cook reportedly wants an extension worth $15 million per season. It doesn't seem that the Bills and Cook are seeing eye-to-eye on that topic. That being said, it wouldn't be shocking to see Cook stay away from voluntary workouts. It seems unlikely that Cook will sit out actual regular season games, but possibly he'll miss workouts to increase the pressure on the organization. Cook is deserving of a new contract after rushing for 1,009 yards with a career-high 16 touchdowns this past season. The Bills have already handed out extensions to other players, so maybe Cook isn't as valued to Buffalo as he thinks. Ultimately, the two sides should get a deal done, but it wouldn't be shocking to see Cook try to leverage the situation.