After wondering “will he or won’t he show up” for mandatory minicamp, questions turned into “what now” about Cook’s contract situation.
Fresh off his first day as a full participant at mandatory minicamp with the Buffalo Bills, running back James Cook took a seat in front of the microphone — ready to face the barrage of difficult questions from members of the media. Cook is a man of few words, ones often carefully guarded and selected so that he’s not misunderstood.
Yet since right before Valentine’s Day of 2024, Cook has leveraged social media to lobby for a significant pay raise. When the draft finished up and offseason work began, things began to get interesting with Cook and One Bills Drive.
Not in attendance for the bulk of offseason work, which included the Organized Team Activities (OTAs) portion of Buffalo’s offseason schedule per head coach Sean McDermott, Cook is back to the surprise of many. But minicamp is mandatory, and Cook understands the penalties involved — even if that means getting to work without the benefit of knowing a new contract is on the horizon, with general manager Brandon Beane addressing the challenging situation early in the offseason.
During the seven minutes and change with Cook at the mic, a frustrated canvas of emotions seemed to reveal itself. Always level-headed in conversation, Cook did let his guard down a couple times when it came to conversations about training camp and teammates from his draft class who received new deals this past offseason. It remains clear that Cook wants to be paid like one of the top running backs in the NFL.
Why shouldn’t Cook? He did just watch the team hand out lucrative multi-year deals to wide receiver Khalil Shakir, linebacker Terrel Bernard, defensive end Greg Rousseau, cornerback Christian Benford, and even a new deal for quarterback Josh Allen?
While a good bit of coverage will seek to further stir up drama either through spicy headlines or wild opinion pieces about Cook these next few months, what follows below is simply a somewhat tense conversation between the media and a young man looking for answers, presented here without embellishment as transcribed by yours truly.
Though plenty of analysts and Bills Mafia alike have opinions on what Buffalo should do about this situation with Cook, it’s undeniable that he brings a lethal dose of production to the offense. To that point, the Bills didn’t select a running back during the 2025 NFL Draft — they understand his value, even if the contract situation has become tense. Cook remains the premiere running back in a room full of talented players.
You can watch Cook’s presser in full at the via the embedded video at the bottom of this article.
Josh Reed: “James, what’s this whole process been like for you?”
Cook: “I’ve been good. I mean, just working out and just continuing to keep doing what I’ve been doing.”
Reed: “Did you feel like it was a must that you had to be here — I mean, obviously it is mandatory. But, why did you decide to come?”
Cook: “Um, I like my money. You know, I do. Definitely do. So that’s why I’m here.”
Thad Brown: “Why did you, well back in February why did you take it public with your, you know, asking for the money? Did you feel you needed to make that public?”
Cook: “Uh… no. Um, it’s just something that I did, and, I, I, (shrugging shoulders)… something I did. I don’t know why I did it.
Brown: “But it wasn’t like a strategy?”
Cook: “Nah.”
Maddy Glab: “James, what do you hope to get out of mandatory minicamp?”
Cook: “Just to get better, and just to be around the guys — feels good to be around them — and just… keep playing football.”
Alaina Getzenberg: “James you didn’t have to participate today, necessarily. Why did you decide to fully participate?”
Cook: “I mean, why not? I’m here. I’m part of the team. And, just not practicing… would — I’m a leader, so just gotta practice and get the job done.”
Vic Carucci: “Do plan to fully participate in training camp as well, James?”
Cook: “Um, yeah. Um, it’s my team and in order for us to win a Super Bowl or compete for a Super Bowl, and have a winning season — have to be out there, and be out there with my teammates.”
Sal Capaccio: “James, what’s been your communication with Sean McDermott [and] Brandon Beane throughout the offseason — have you talked with them regularly, or not?”
Cook: “Yeah. We’ve been good. Great communication… and whatever we talked about we talked about.”
Josh Reed: “Are you optimistic that something will get done?”
Cook: “Um… at this moment I’m just gonna keep working hard and let God take control, and keep doing what I do.”
Tim Graham: “James, why is it important for running backs, maybe more than other position, to make sure you get what you’re worth?”
Cook: “‘Cause we do a lot and I think we should be valued as that, and all the hard work that we put in on the ground, pass blocking, all those type of things. And, you know, I think we should be valued more.”
Graham: “What about the aspect of the shorter career than you have at other positions (more lost audio) and that aspect?”
Cook: “I don’t look at it like that, I just feel like if you take care of your body and do all the things that you need to do right, and just be who you with and everything’ll be alright, the way I see it.”
John Wawrow: “How do you balance, and having — knowing the business side and knowing the personal side — are there any hard feelings against the Bills or, you know, how much do you know that this is just business?”
Cook: “Um, everything is business. So, ain’t no hard feelings. I don’t ever have beef with nobody. Like I said, everything’s gonna work out how it’s supposed to work.”
Sal Maiorana: “James, do you feel that one of your goals this year has to be getting your snap counts higher — I think it was 45% last year — do you feel you need to be on the field more this season?”
Cook: “I mean, of course. You know, I don’t look at the whole snap-count percentage and what I — how long [I’m] on the field, how much [I’m] on the field. I just know when I’m on the field, I’m gonna make it happen.”
Jay Skurski: “A few of the other guys in your draft class got signed by the Bills this offseason. When that happens, does that create more urgency, or does that maybe lead you to maybe go a little bit more public when you see other guys who’ve been paid?”
Cook: “I don’t know. I love those guys. Whatever they got paid, they got paid, um, that’s not my problem. I mean, why would I get mad at something they got — I’m happy for them, actually. So, however it gets done with this deal or whatever, however y’all wanna say, it’ll get done. But, in the meantime I’m here to work and be where my feet is.”
Getzenberg: “Is the goal still to be here long term?”
Cook: “Of course. You know, my goal is to win the Super Bowl — the same thing, like I said. And however things get worked out, [they] get worked out at this point.”
Glab: “James, what’s the story behind adding the ‘3,’ ‘the third’ to your last name on your jersey this year?
Cook: “Oh, ‘cause I’m the third: James Cook the third.”
Glab: “Why did you wanna do it this season?”
Cook: “[I was] supposed to do it [before] but I had to get, like, documents and I [had it] in college, so I just wanted to get it, and it represents my family, I mean, you know.”
Graham: “Just to clarify regarding training camp: You say you’re gonna be here. Is there any possibility of a what they call ‘hold out’ — you know where you’re here and you don’t practice, or once you’re here, are you participating?”
Cook: “I don’t know man. We should see when camp comes.”
Jay Skurski: “Did your brother give you any advice? I mean, he saw a lot through his career, in terms of navigating this situation.”
Cook: “Yeah, of course. Just ‘everything’s gonna work out how it’s supposed to work out,’ just like I said. And, however it gets done, it gets done.”
Matt Parrino: “Do you feel — from a personal standpoint — do you feel like with this looming over you, it could be a distraction to you personally at all this season?”
Cook: “Um, I don’t look at it like that. I just be where my feet is every day, and just want to play football, and that’s what I’m here to do.”
Carucci: “Is the process like, in terms of your agent working with the team, to just keep a line of communication open? And, in your mind, sometimes players will say that if something doesn’t happen by a certain date, cut it off. Right? ‘Cause you don’t want to have a distraction that way. How are you looking at it — is it an ongoing thing or no?”
Cook: “No, I just, I live my day like a normal person, and keep continuing to do what [I’ve been] doing. Like I said, which is work, work hard, work out, and I’m here so — being where my feet is right now, and just keep putting the work in with the guys.”
Graham: “In this business, business is a competitive thing too. Right? Does the competitor in you in any way kind of… enjoying this process because you’re fighting for what you think you’re worth?”
Cook: “I mean, of course. Other people might think otherwise but yeah, like you said: I’m here to work hard, and however it takes care of itself, it’ll take care of itself.”
Glab: “What excites you for this season?”
Cook: “Just… new team, new staff, um just excited to see how everything unfolds. And, like I said, hopefully we win the Super Bowl, and take it further than what we did last year.”