ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills running back James Cook put aside his contract concerns — and avoided the potential of being fined — by attending the start of the team’s three-day mandatory series of practices on Tuesday.
“Business is business at the end of day, and I respect his decision to be here and be amongst the team,” coach Sean McDermott said before practice. “We need everyone to win.”
Cook’s attendance comes after he went public with his desire to negotiate a contract extension while entering the fourth and final year of his rookie deal. He was the NFL’s co-leader in rushing touchdowns with 16 last year, and skipped Buffalo’s six previous spring practices and month-long workout sessions, all of which were voluntary.
Cook was selected by Buffalo in the second round of the 2022 draft out of Georgia. His older brother is Dalvin Cook, best known for his six seasons in Minnesota and who spent last year appearing in two games with Dallas.
In February, Cook informally began his public negotiation by posting the message “15 mill year” on his Instagram account.
A month later, during an appearance on a podcast with former NFLers Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson, Cook said, “Pay me the big bucks,” and adding, “I want to get what I asked for.” He also made the case for his fellow NFL running backs being underpaid in saying: “I feel like we deserve to get paid,” and asking, “How (are) we not valuable?”
In April, Cook listed his Buffalo-area home as being for sale.
General manager Brandon Beane has on several occasions noted how much he respects and values Cook, while also acknowledging the two sides aren’t on the same page in contract talks.
In late March, Beane specifically referenced Cook in announcing he was cutting off contract discussions to focus on the draft.
“Just because we don’t have James signed today doesn’t mean next year we still can’t get him done before he gets to free agency,” Beane said. “We want him to have success. We’re rooting for him … But we are where we are, and there’s no hard feelings from us.”
Cook proved to be the odd-man out in Beane’s offseason binge of signing core players to multiyear contract extensions. The group was made up of quarterback Josh Allen, receiver Khalil Shakir, edge rusher Greg Rousseau, linebacker Terrel Bernard and cornerback Christian Benford.
Cook’s 16 touchdowns rushing matched a Bills single-season record set by O.J. Simpson, and he also scored two more receiving. He was part of a Bills offense that finished second in the NFL in averaging more than 30 points per outing.
After scoring just two touchdowns rushing in each of his first two seasons, Cook’s jump in production coincided with Joe Brady’s first full season as Buffalo’s offensive coordinator, and the team’s initiative to have Allen rush less to reduce exposing him to injury.