Bills Remain Unconcerned with James Cook's Contract Standoff
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The Buffalo Bills may have had a very successful offseason filled with top acquisitions on both sides of the ball, but they still have one clear need to figure out over the next few months.
How the heck are they going to resolve James Cook's contract situation?
General manager Brandon Beane has spoken out saying the team would address his contract following the draft. As the weeks go by, though, it's clear the team and young running back are nowhere close to a new deal.
Cook is reportedly looking to be paid over $15 million per year. The Bills do not have the money to spend that lucratively on a position of low value, as the running back position has become.
Despite the concerns, Beane isn't worried just yet about where they are.
"Sometimes, business gets in the way, we understand that," Beane told Adam Schein of Cook's absence from voluntary workouts. "Jimbo, he is a competitive dude. He loves playing for this team. He loves being a part of it. He loves his role here. And he fits this offense really well. I think it's been a great fit for him and it's been fun to watch him the first three years.
"Every year, he's taken a step, and to see him get the accolades he got last season was cool. ... Where he's come from, he was looked at as kind of maybe a third-down back or a change-of-pace back, and he proved he could play on all downs. And he'll continue to work on that."
It's important to remember that voluntary workouts are not the end of the world for a team. Josh Allen isn't in voluntary workouts yet.
But as the days creep closer to mandatory minicamp, the Bills need to either put up or shut up with Cook.
And with the way they are talking, it doesn't sound like they are willing to make the running back a highly paid one.
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