The Buffalo Bills suffered another heartbreaking playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in January, and now they could be facing another challenge, this time off the field. Running back James Cook is looking for a new contract, and tensions may be brewing between the player and the organization as the offseason progresses.
Cook was notably absent from the Bills’ OTAs, prompting NFL insider Ian Rapoport to weigh in on the situation involving the running back and his options this offseason.
James Cook Has Multiple Options If Bills Don’t Fulfill Demands
It’s not uncommon for veteran players to skip OTAs, but Cook’s absence is drawing attention to his reported desire for a new deal. While he hasn’t publicly threatened to hold out or indicate he’ll skip training camp, his absence raises questions about how serious the standoff might become.
Appearing on the May 27 edition of the NFL Network’s “The Insiders” show, Rapoport spoke on Cook’s situation as he explained several avenues that the running back could explore.
“Mandatory minicamp really is the first quote-unquote deadline for James Cook to say, ‘How serious am I about wanting a new contract? Would I withhold services, and obviously get fined, in order to prove my point?'” Rapoport said.
The insider then stated his belief that Cook will be on the Bills in 2025, stating that a trade wouldn’t make sense, and that no trade request has been submitted.
“He’s going to be playing for the Bills this year,” he said. “That is very clear. It’s something the Bills have come out and said. We have not heard a trade request, and even if they would, one wouldn’t make sense. To take one of the best players off the field for one of the NFL’s best teams.”
“Really, what this is, is does James Cook get a contract extension that he can be happy with before the season? Or does he play out and face either the franchise tag, the next year, or become one of the top free agents for the entire NFL to bid on his services?”
From The Insiders on @NFLNetwork: #Bills RB James Cook is not present at OTAs. Time will tell how far he wants to take his demands for a new contract. pic.twitter.com/vCT0QNjvMB
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 27, 2025
The Bills have done a brilliant job of securing key players this offseason. Josh Allen, Gregory Rousseau, and Terrel Bernard were among a host of standouts to receive extensions, cementing the nucleus of Buffalo’s roster.
Buffalo spent six of its first seven picks in the 2025 NFL Draft on cornerbacks or defensive linemen, areas the team needed to address. Zoning in on positions of need in the 2024 draft helped the Philadelphia Eagles on their way to a Super Bowl, something the Bills will hope to replicate in the upcoming season.
But with Cook representing an important part of Buffalo’s offense, the situation regarding the player’s contract will be a concern. For all of that hard work to be derailed by a contract dispute would be a bitter pill to swallow for a team that is painfully close to its first Super Bowl in franchise history.
