ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg writes that Buffalo Bills running back James Cook, despite seeking a contract extension, was a full participant in the team's three-day mandatory minicamp this week. General manager Brandon Beane said the "relationship's very good and I know [Cook's] going to be ready to roll when we get to [training camp in] Rochester." Cook said earlier this week that he plans to be at training camp this summer, but he didn't specify if he'd actually be taking part in workouts. Beane said Cook "looks good out there. You can tell he's been working." It sounds like the two sides are working towards a deal, but Cook could hold in during training camp. Cook was the RB8 in half-PPR scoring in 2024 with his second straight 1,000-yard rushing season and a league-high 16 rushing TDs. Regression is coming in the TD department after he scored four rushing touchdowns in his first two NFL seasons.
Jun 14, 2025 11:05 AM EST
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is officially present at mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, although it's unclear how much he'll actually participate this week as he seeks a new long-term deal, a source tells NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Cook skipped voluntary organized team activities in April and May but wasn't ready to be fined by skipping minicamp as he looks for a new deal as he heads into the final year of his current deal. The 25-year-old former second-rounder had a big year for the Bills and fantasy managers in his third season in 2024. After scoring four rushing touchdowns combined in his first two seasons, Cook broke out with a league-high 16 TDs on the ground while finishing with 1,009 rushing yards on 207 carries. He added 32 catches for 258 yards and two more scores. The two-time Pro Bowler will face serious TD regression in 2025 but should still be the unquestioned RB1 in Buffalo.
Jun 10, 2025 12:31 PM EST
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is currently in Buffalo and will attend mandatory minicamp this week, a source tells the Circling the Wagons Podcast. Cook and the Bills aren't close to agreeing to a contract extension, which led to the belief that the 25-year-old wouldn't show up for minicamp this week. However, Cook may have reconsidered so that he won't be fined. He didn't show up for voluntary organized team activities in April and May as he heads into the final year of his current contract. The two-time Pro Bowler had his second straight 1,000-yard rushing season and also led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns in 16 regular-season starts in 2024, adding 32 catches for 258 yards and two more TDs. Fantasy managers need to expect regression in the TD department. Remember, he had only two scores on the ground in each of 2022 and 2023. RotoBaller has Cook ranked as the RB13 going into 2025.
Jun 9, 2025 9:28 PM EST
ESPN's Adam Schefter noted on The Adam Schefter Podcast that he would not be surprised if Buffalo Bills running back James Cook did not attend the team's mandatory minicamp next week. "I don't believe that these two sides are anywhere close to a deal at this point in time," said the NFL Insider. Cook is in the final year of his rookie deal and rightfully wants a new contract. However, he's looking to get paid upwards of $20 million annually, which would put him on par with the Eagles' Saquon Barkley. The 25-year-old was excellent in 2024, but he'll likely need to drop his expectations somewhat as he looks for a new agreement. It wouldn't be ideal for him to miss time, considering we've seen what lengthy holdouts can do to a player's early-season production. We'll learn more when Buffalo holds their next organized activities in a few days.
Jun 7, 2025 3:06 PM EST
NFL Network' Cameron Wolfe reports that every Buffalo Bills player is present for organized team activities on Tuesday except for running back James Cook, who is seeking a new long-term contract extension. We're still in the voluntary portion of the offseason schedule, so Cook won't be fined, but the 25-year-old wants the team to reward him with an extension as he heads into the final year of his rookie deal. The next change for Cook to show up will be for mandatory minicamp, which runs from June 10-12. It's unclear if Cook plans on holding out into training camp this summer if he doesn't have a new contract by then, but if he reports and is active for Week 1 of the 2025 regular season, he'll be Buffalo's clear RB1 after his second straight 1,000-yard rushing season and a league-high 16 rushing TDs in 2024. Fantasy managers should expect TD regression for the two-time Pro Bowler.
May 27, 2025 1:04 PM EST
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.
May 8, 2025 7:58 AM EST
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.
Apr 22, 2025 2:59 PM EST
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.
Apr 18, 2025 4:12 PM EST
Despite a contract impasse with the Buffalo Bills and the fact that he put his house up for sale in Buffalo, running back James Cook "will play for the Bills next season," according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Things are "not great" between Cook and the Bills. The 25-year-old has a $5.3 million salary for the 2025 season, which is the last year of his rookie deal, and he's made it known he's looking for at least $15 million per year. Buffalo would like to sign him to a long-term extension, but at the moment the two sides aren't remotely close in negotiations. The former second-rounder (63rd overall) in 2022 out of Georgia has back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons and led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns in 16 regular-season games in 2024. Cook will be Buffalo's RB1 again in 2025, but fantasy managers must plan for TD regression, and the Bills could be looking to split the workload more with Ty Johnson and Ray Davis.
Apr 8, 2025 11:18 PM EST
Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane said the team isn't close to getting a long-term contract extension done with running back James Cook. "I don't see us getting something done anytime soon ..we're onto the draft .just because we don't get something done this year doesn't mean we can't get something done before he's a free agent," Beane said. Cook made it clear in February that he wants a contract extension and wants the ball more moving forward. The 25-year-old played only 48 percent of the team's offensive snaps in 2024, although he was very productive with 18 total touchdowns in 16 regular-season games. Cook's 16 rushing touchdowns -- he also had 1,009 yards on 207 rushing attempts -- led the league in 2024. Still, the Bills aren't making it a priority to give Cook an extension as he heads into the final year of his current deal. Cook will face obvious TD regression in 2025.
Mar 31, 2025 12:26 PM EST
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is seeking a contract extension with the organization. He wants a deal that would pay him $15 million per year. On Wednesday, Cook went on Instagram Live and specifically said, "15 mill." The former Georgia Bulldog is entering the final season of his rookie deal after rushing for at least 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons. Cook found the end zone 18 times in 2024. A $15 million salary would put Cook as the second-highest-paid running back in the NFL behind only Christian McCaffrey.
Feb 13, 2025 10:28 AM EST
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook rushed 13 times for 85 yards and two touchdowns during Sunday's AFC Championship loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He also caught all three of his targets for an additional 49 yards through the air. Given that Cook had just 2.2 yards per carry against the Chiefs back in Week 11, he bounced back in a huge way this Sunday. He was highly efficient on the ground, productive through the air, and carried the Bills to a pair of scores. Simply put, he kept Buffalo in the game until the final seconds. Cook totaled 19 touchdowns between the regular season and playoffs, establishing himself as a steady RB1 option for fantasy football. Even with Ray Davis pushing for more opportunities, Cook should continue to be viewed as a top-10 option at his position heading into 2025 fantasy drafts.
Jan 27, 2025 1:55 AM EST
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is seeking revenge against the Kansas City Chiefs after they bottled him up during the regular season. When Cook faced the Chiefs back in Week 11, he rushed just nine times for 20 yards. He did catch five passes in that contest, but they amounted to just seven total receiving yards. That was Cook's worst game of the season, so he'll certainly be looking for revenge when the Bills head to Kansas City for the AFC Championship on Sunday. However, delivering a big game won't be easy. The Chiefs have been lethal against running backs this year, allowing the third-fewest rushing yards, fifth-fewest catches, and fourth-fewest receiving yards to the position during the 2024 regular season. Furthermore, they didn't surrender a single receiving touchdown to running backs. The Chiefs' run defense did falter a little last week, allowing 88 yards on 18 carries to Joe Mixon, but that may have been an outlier. Cook remains this week's No. 2 fantasy running back behind Saquon Barkley, but his matchup against Kansas City drastically reduces his floor.
Jan 24, 2025 10:45 PM EST
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook rushed 17 times for 67 yards and caught three passes for 15 yards in the team's 27-25 win over the Baltimore Ravens. Cook averaged just a hair under four yards per carry against Baltimore, one of the league's stingiest run defenses. All three of Buffalo's touchdowns came on the ground. Quarterback Josh Allen punched in two of the scores. The other was given to backup running back Ray Davis, despite Cook getting Buffalo to the one-yard line. Another tough run defense is next when the Bills travel to Kansas City for a matchup with the Chiefs.
Jan 19, 2025 10:17 PM EST
The Ravens' dominant run defense has kept running backs in check all season and did just that when Buffalo Bills running back James Cook faced them in Week 4. Cook failed to log double-digit carries in three of 17 games this season, one of which came against the Ravens. The unit has also allowed just eight rushing touchdowns. Cook will need to be utilized in the passing game. The Ravens surrender the fourth-most receiving yards to the position but Ty Johnson has thrived in the pass-catching role for the Bills. Cook is a risky start for DFS lineups.
Jan 17, 2025 5:18 PM EST
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook carried the ball 23 times for 120 yards and a touchdown in the team's 31-7 victory over the Denver Broncos in the first round of the playoffs. The Bills attacked Denver's run defense early and often. Cook picked up 62 yards and his score on the team's first two drives. Cook's 23 carries were a season-high mark for rush attempts and touches. Unfortunately, he wasn't involved, or needed, in the passing game (zero targets). A matchup against one of the league's top run defenses (Baltimore) is next for Cook and the Buffalo Bills.
Jan 12, 2025 5:57 PM EST
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook led the team with 1,009 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns during the regular season. After limited usage in Week 18 due to Buffalo resting their stars, Cook brings fresh legs into the Wild Card matchup against the Denver Broncos. While the Broncos have been stingier against the run than the pass over the last four weeks, the Bills are heavy home favorites (nine points). If the game script follows oddsmakers' predictions, Cook could get more opportunities than usual. He's a safe option for DFS lineups.
Jan 10, 2025 4:09 PM EST
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook rushed 10 times for 28 yards and a touchdown in the team's 23-16 loss against the New England Patriots. The yardage was enough to push Cook over the 1,000-yard mark. His one-yard touchdown plunge tied the franchise's single-season record for rushing touchdowns (16) and placed him in a tie atop the NFL with Derrick Henry. Surprisingly, that score came in the third quarter in a game where starters played sparingly. Rookie Ray Davis led the team in carries (15). Cook and the Bills will host the Denver Broncos in the first round of the playoffs.
Jan 5, 2025 7:30 PM EST
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook averages a shade over 15 touches per game this season but that number could plummet in Week 18. The Bills have clinched the No. 2 spot in the AFC playoffs. Head coach Sean McDermott said the team plans on using starters and reserves on Sunday against New England. That means more opportunities for backup running backs Ray Davis and Ty Johnson. Cook can't be trusted in any fantasy football or DFS lineups without the proper volume. His day could be finished after a handful of snaps.
Jan 3, 2025 11:23 PM EST
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook rushed for 53 yards and scored a touchdown in the team's blowout win over the New York Jets. Buffalo's top running back saw 15 opportunities again, but all came on the ground. He wasn't targeted for the second time this season. Thankfully, a touchdown pushed him up to double-digit PPR points. Cook's one-yard plunge in the third quarter extended Buffalo's lead to 26 points. They led by even more entering the fourth quarter, allowing Cook to take the rest of the game off. The Bills secured the number two seed in the AFC and face the New England Patriots in Week 18.
Dec 29, 2024 5:55 PM EST
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