The James Cook Conundrum

By: Randall Slifer

James Cook decided to start his hold-in during the final stages of training camp, just before the first pre-season game. This was surprising to the Buffalo Bills and the community, as he had been involved in all activities leading up to yesterday. Running backs have surged as the game evolves, highlighting the importance of a strong run game to avoid a cover two shell look for most of the game. James Cook took to social media early in the off-season, looking for the highest running back contract in terms of average per year. Saquon Barkley is the top-paid running back at just over $20 million per year. To follow, the list goes CMC, Derrick Henry, Johnathon Taylor, and Alvin Kamara. There is a significant gap between Saquon Barkley’s contract and Alvin Kamara’s contract, despite only having four spots in between them. While Barkley makes over $20 million per year, Alvin Kamara makes $12.25 million per year. It is difficult to see James Cook as a top-three paid running back, but there are cases to be made on each side of the table.

James Cook is a pivotal piece in how our offense runs, and how he fits so well into Joe Brady and our offensive line coach, Aaron Kromer’s system. Joe Brady’s system heavily relies on a good run game to balance out the passing game and force defenses to read multiple situations before the ball is snapped. Aaron Kromer uses both zone and gap runs, and heavily uses offensive linemen to pull across the line, as well as using duo blocking schemes to open up bigger holes. Duo blocking leads to 1 on 1’s with the running back and a defender, and if the running back can beat the one defender in front of him, there is an open field ahead of him. James Cook’s ability to beat that defender 1 on 1 in multiple ways is a proven reason why he is one of the top running backs. He possesses speed and explosion, allowing him to bounce outside and consistently beat defenders around the bend, turning simple runs into explosive plays. I do not believe that Ray Davis or Ty Johnson can replicate this, leaving a significant hole in the run game if we cannot replace this feature. This is not to say that Buffalo cannot adjust their run game to adhere to the strengths of our other running backs, but it would be a missing piece that led to James Cook rushing for 16 touchdowns in the regular season. Let’s take a look at all our options for James Cook and why it needs to be done before week one of the regular season:

Extend Him

Money is undoubtedly the reason these negotiations have been tumultuous. James Cook asking to be the top-paid running back just does not make any sense in the eyes of Buffalo and most of the NFL. Saquon Barkley just rushed for over 2,000 yards and won a Super Bowl last year, earning his way to surpass Christian McCaffrey as the top-paid running back. Christian McCaffrey is a unicorn, and if injuries were not in his picture, he may have been the best running back to step on an NFL field. Derrick Henry, the third-highest-paid running back, is also a unicorn, as he has officially beaten the running back shelf life by a large gap. At 6 foot 3, 247 pounds, He has surpassed 2,500 snaps in his nine-year career, and almost broke 2,000 yards last year. Let’s not even discuss what his high school and college numbers looked like, because those are absurd as well. James Cook had an outstanding year last year, rushing for 16 touchdowns and eclipsing 1,000 yards rushing in back-to-back years. As you can see, the numbers do not match to make Cook a top-three paid running back in the league. What Cook has going for him is that he is younger and has been typically injury-free since entering the league. Barkley is 28, McCaffrey is 29, and Derrick Henry is 31. Barkley and McCaffrey have dealt with serious injuries throughout their careers, while Derrick Henry’s wheels will eventually fall off soon (Right?).

James Cook has not turned 26 yet, and he will be entering his prime as a running back. He has refined his understanding of the game and fine-tuned his vision and breakaway speed to become a dynamic running back. The caveat is that James Cook is not a good blocker. He is often taken out on third downs for a reliable pass protector, which affects his contract as well. In 2024, Barkley and Henry out-snapped Cook by over 150 snaps, while Barkley had almost 200 more snaps than Cook. When looking at the output, that certainly plays a factor in how much money he deserves. Cook has acknowledged he needs to be a three-down back in this league, and he has stated he has been working on it. Should Buffalo extend him based on his words or actions? Contracts are built on what you will do for me in the future, not what you have done for me in the past.

Trade Him

There are several good players available for trade discussions who would significantly improve our defense or wide receiver room. Terry McLaurin, Trey Hendrickson, and Micah Parsons are all holding out, looking to be traded or receive a new contract. Trey Hendrickson would undoubtedly increase our pass rush production, and Terry McLaurin is a dynamic receiver who would open up the field in his Z-type style, and also have an elite deep threat that Josh Allen used to have with Stefon Diggs. I believe that using James Cook in a trade package for either of those players would result in a more net-neutral approach than a net-positive approach. Gaining McLaurin and losing James Cook could dampen our run game, allowing defenses to sit in a 2-high shell more and stay successful in it. Trey Hendrickson is a dynamic pass rusher who would step into Epenesa’s role and be much more impactful than Epenesa this year. This would again leave a hole in our offense that I am not sure they could fill with Ray Davis, Ty Johnson, and potentially Frank Gore Jr. Micah Parsons is a unicorn who all 31 teams should be calling Dallas, seeing what kind of package they can conjure up to acquire Micah. If Dallas is willing to ship Micah Parsons for James Cook plus draft picks, then you say “yes, please” and go win a Super Bowl.

Make Cook play in his final year

This decision is where teams have to play hardball, when the team holds most of the leverage. James Cook is holding in because he does not want to incur any fines by not showing up. James Cook is in his final year of his rookie contract, earning $5.3 million this year. $5.3 million per year puts him at 18^th in running back contracts. Buffalo holds the leverage in the contract situation because James Cook is a rookie, and his contract is due to play this year. If Cook wants to sit out for the year, he will not become a free agent next year, but his final contract year rolls over into the 2026 season. James Cook can hold in during the off-season, but when the regular season arrives, game checks will be withheld, and he will begin a process not in his favor. Buffalo does have two very good running backs sitting behind him, and Buffalo has stayed firm on the “next man up” mentality. It is unfortunate sometimes when teams hold all the leverage on certain players. Still, Cook’s situation seems relatively fair for Buffalo to approach the negotiations by acknowledging they hold the leverage, rather than caving into Cook’s high demand.

Decision

If I were Brandon Beane, I would work towards extending Cook or restructuring his final year of contract to appease him in a small way. James Cook’s running style fits Buffalo’s system like a puzzle piece, and I would hate to lose that in a season where our schedule is favorable to gain the 1-seed for the playoffs. As the buzz floated around Cook’s hold-in, contract numbers were being thrown out there. Cook can secure a top 7 running back contract worth $10 to $12 million per year, with lucrative Super Bowl incentives, and the flexibility to renegotiate if he outperforms his contract. Saquon Barkley got an extension right after he won a Super Bowl, and that should certainly be discussed during these contract negotiations. If Buffalo cannot work a deal with Cook, I would let him play out his final year in his contract and then re-open the contract discussions after this year ends. It is a fine line to dance when it comes to running backs and their contracts, but it is hard to ignore Cook’s impact on Buffalo’s offense.

How do you think the James Cook conundrum should be settled? Reply here or reach out to me on Twitter/X @RandallSlifer to let me know your thoughts. Go Bills!