Bills: James Cook refuses to play for extension; Super Bowl at risk?

James Cook and his contract situation: Will he play with the Bills?

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook had an unusual moment in the first preseason game against the New York Giants. Although he participated in warmups with his full uniform and did drills with the first team, he ultimately did not play in the game. Cook, who is seeking a contract extension, has been absent from the latest practices. Despite coach Sean McDermott wanting him to play, Cook decided not to due to the contract situation.

“We wanted him to play. I wanted him to play, but I don’t want to go into more details,” McDermott commented.

Sean McDermott, Bills Coach

McDermott revealed that he had a conversation with Cook on Friday, describing it as “good”. During the discussion, Cook agreed to warm up with the team on Saturday but not play. The coach preferred not to go into further detail about the situation, indicating that there were no significant changes. Cook’s agent, Zac Hiller, sent a message after the game expressing the hope that the situation will be resolved and all energy can be focused on bringing a Super Bowl to Buffalo. When asked if he expects Cook to practice this week, McDermott preferred to focus on the players who did participate in the game. Cook’s situation remains a separate issue. In the preseason game, other running backs like Ray Davis and Ty Johnson had opportunities with the first team, led by backup Mitch Trubisky. The Bills’ management and Cook’s team have not reached an agreement for a new extension, as Cook is in the last year of his rookie contract. The team has extended the contracts of other players from the 2022 draft class. General Manager Brandon Beane commented that it takes two parties to reach an agreement. He also noted that he had never before had a player miss games for contractual reasons during his nine years in the position, but that they will handle the situation in the best way possible. Cook is coming off the best season of his career, tying the team record with 16 rushing touchdowns. In 2024, he was on the field for 45.2% of the team’s offensive plays. Quarterback Josh Allen highlighted Cook’s importance to the team and expressed his desire for an agreement to be reached for him to play. Allen also praised Ray Davis and Ty Johnson, who took advantage of the opportunities in training and the game.