One of the main concerns of the Buffalo Bills must be their star running back, James Cook, who apparently is already preparing to play for a new team in the NFL. At least that’s what his latest decision says.
A few days passed after general manager Brandon Beane let it be known that they would not negotiate in the immediate future with the 25-year-old running back and apparently he has decided to put his house on the market.
James Cook’s decision that no one expected
James Cook put his 2,090-square-foot home up for sale for $710,000. HUNT Real Estate is the listing agency for the property, which last sold on July 26, 2022, for $480,000.
The Buffalo Bills selected Cook with the 63rd overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He has played three years in Buffalo, earning Pro Bowl honors in the last two.
Since the conclusion of the 2024 season, the running back has publicly sought a contract extension for more than $15 million annually. That figure would place him second among NFL running backs, and is a seemingly high amount for a position that has been devalued in recent years. Then there’s the fact that Cook was used on only about 50 percent of offensive snaps last season.
JAMES COOK REACHES FOR THE TD
: #BUFvsKC on CBS
: Stream on @NFLPlus and Paramount+ pic.twitter.com/Xx3oSfVhul? NFL (@NFL) January 27, 2025
While Cook could simply be looking for bigger ownership, the timing of the release of course generates speculation. During Beane’s eight years as general manager, the Bills have not signed a second running back to a contract after selecting him in the draft.
“I would say his reps and he made it public, so I’m not sharing anything new. It didn’t lead to anything as far as closing a deal, and then, we moved on to the guys we were more on the same page with,” Beane said.
JAMES COOK GETS LOOSE FOR THE 46-YARD TD
(via @NFL)
pic.twitter.com/82gQPpZoim? Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 22, 2024
In the past month, the Bills did agree to contract extensions with three members of Cook’s 2022 draft class. Linebacker Terrel Bernard, receiver Khalil Shakir and cornerback Christian Benford signed for four more years.
The Bills have 10 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft so they could opt to select a running back. In the meantime, the drama continues.
