Who Should I Start? Brandon Aiyuk or James Cook

Monday, March 31, 3:16 PM

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the San Francisco 49ers are not expected to trade wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee). The sixth-year pro will be due a bonus of $22.85 million on Tuesday if he is on the team's roster. Aiyuk exploded in 2023 with a 75-1,342-7 line and signed a four-year $120 million contract extension as a reward. However, a torn ACL and MCL in Week 7 of 2024 cut his season short, though it's worth noting he wasn't overly productive before the injury. The 49ers have already flipped one star wideout this offseason, sending Deebo Samuel Sr. to the Washington Commanders, so it is in the team's best interest to hold Aiyuk despite the hit to their cap. There is still no timetable for the 27-year-old's return, but he recently got good reviews regarding his recovery. He'll compete with teammates George Kittle and Jauan Jennings for targets when he's healthy.

Thursday, May 8, 7:58 AM

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.