Buffalo Bills running back James Cook exercised his right to skip the initial portion of the voluntary offseason workout program. But when push comes to shove, general manager Brandon Beane expects the running back to be ready for the 2025 campaign.
"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 told Adam Schein of Mad Dog Sports Radio on Wednesday.
The comments continue Beane's confidence in Cook being in Buffalo in 2025. While he doesn't verbally commit to extending the running back, the GM has been consistent in his messaging that there is no animosity between the sides.
Cook is coming off back-to-back Pro Bowl campaigns, generating 1,000-plus yards each season. In 2024, the Bills RB generated 16 rushing touchdowns, tied for tops in the NFL with Derrick Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs.
The running back is eligible for an extension entering Year 4 and indicated that he's seeking $15 million per year. Beane noted during the NFL's Annual League Meeting that he didn't foresee a deal before the draft. Now that the selection process is over, the GM didn't sound concerned about the lack of a pact affecting his lead-back being ready for the season.
"Sometimes, business gets in the way, we understand that," Beane told Schein of Cook's absence from workouts. "Jimbo, he is a competitive dude. He loves playing for this team. He loves being a part of it. He loves his role here. And he fits this offense really well. I think it's been a great fit for him and it's been fun to watch him the first three years. Every year, he's taken a step, and to see him get the accolades he got last season was cool. ... Where he's come from, he was looked at as kind of maybe a third-down back or a change-of-pace back, and he proved he could play on all downs. And he'll continue to work on that."
Cook has proven to be a difference-maker out of the Bills' backfield, but Buffalo still used him in a committee with Ty Johnson and Ray Davis. Of the 16 players to break the 1,000-yard mark in 2024, Cook tied for the fewest carries with 207 (rookie Bucky Irving). Given the club's approach, will they be comfortable with giving the back a significant raise? It's a delicate balance of committing to a key player while not overstepping their budget.
The Bills hold the leverage, with Cook entering the final year of his contract and the franchise tag at their disposal in 2026. The running back electing to stay away while searching for a new deal is the only form of resistance he can employ at this stage. Given the injury risk for the position, it's understandable why he'd push to get more security after two big seasons. We'll get a better sense of Cook's plans to use that leverage when mandatory minicamp gets underway in June.
