Bills running back James Cook, who was an active participant in Buffalo’s practices when training camp began, switched to a hold-in strategy last week as extension talks with the team drag on. That approach has now carried over into preseason games.
Per Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News, Cook warmed up with his teammates before the Bills’ preseason opener against the Giants on Saturday. ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg adds Cook was in full uniform and even took a snap with the first-team offense during 11-on-11 drills. However, he did not play in the game.
Head coach Sean McDermott acknowledged after the game that he wanted Cook to participate. Outside of quarterback Josh Allen and several other players who have injury concerns, most of the team’s projected starters did play to some extent. McDermott also said he had a “good conversation” with Cook on Friday, at which point Cook agreed to participate in warmups but made plain he would not actually play.
“We wanted him to play. I wanted him to play, but I don’t really want to go into it any further,” McDermott said (via Getzenberg). “There is really no change at this point in time from what it was going into this weekend and the game today, so he warmed up, like I said, but at this point, due to the situation and position he’s in, he was not willing to play, so that’s where we’re at. Again, it was a good conversation, but really no change overall.”
Shortly after it became clear Cook was holding in, a follow-up report indicated player and team were still engaged in contract discussions and were not too far apart in those discussions. But GM Brandon Beane, while confirming he hoped to strike a deal keeping Cook in the fold beyond 2025, appeared to leave open the possibility that such an agreement may not come until after the season.
Between those comments and McDermott’s “no change” remarks, it is difficult to say where negotiations stand at this point. Cook declined to comment after the game, though his agent, Zac Hiller, did send a text to ESPN.
“I don’t know what else he can do to show he only wants to play for the Bills,” the text read (via Getzenberg). “Hopefully we can figure this out and refocus all energy on bringing a Super Bowl to Buffalo.”
Missing training camp practices is one thing, but missing regular season games is quite another, and it may not be a viable option for Cook. Still, the championship-caliber Bills clearly want to have their RB1 available and in football shape for the upcoming campaign, which opens with a contest against the Ravens, one of their top AFC competitors.
For now, the stare-down continues.