Operating again James Cook dinner seemingly shocked the Buffalo Payments when he modified course relating to his need for a multi-year contract extension and stopped taking part in training-camp practices as a part of a hold-in.
For an article revealed on Wednesday evening, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic spoke with Zac Hiller, one in all Cook dinner’s brokers, in regards to the 25-year-old’s mindset because the ball-carrier stays within the last 12 months of his rookie deal this summer season.
“James Cook dinner solely needs to be a Buffalo Invoice,” Hiller mentioned. “This isn’t some $200M Micah Parsons-Jerry Jones negotiation. We’re hopeful there’s a decision quickly, and we’ll maintain working towards that every single day.”
Cook dinner beforehand advised he needs to earn round $15M per season through an extension. Nevertheless, that was earlier than Kyren Williams of the Los Angeles Rams agreed to a three-year, $33M deal that included $23M in assured cash. Whereas Buscaglia famous that “it’s an imperfect comparability,” the notion exists that the Payments might now really feel that Cook dinner is not price greater than $11M per 12 months.
In keeping with StatMuse, Cook dinner has recorded the ninth-most regular-season dashing yards (2,131) since Week 1 of the 2023 marketing campaign. ESPN stats present that Cook dinner, Baltimore Ravens star Derrick Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions completed final season main the league with 16 dashing touchdowns every.
In keeping with Buscaglia, “there is no such thing as a indication” that Buffalo will commerce Cook dinner earlier than the upcoming season will get underway. That is smart contemplating the 2025 Payments are anticipated to do greater than merely compete for a playoff berth. As of Thursday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had Buffalo and Baltimore tied because the betting favorites at +600 odds to win Tremendous Bowl LX.
Buscaglia added that the Payments and Cook dinner may conform to a reworked one-year deal “with enhanced bonus incentives to probably earn extra in a single season.” It is unclear how Cook dinner would really feel about punting conversations a couple of potential multi-year extension down the highway with Buffalo’s regular-season opener in opposition to Baltimore nonetheless a month away (Sept. 7).
For what it is price, ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg shared on Wednesday that Cook dinner “is continuous to speak with the workforce” amid his hold-in.
