James Cook Misses OTAs Amid Contract Talks with Bills

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00:00Another guy not at OTAs yesterday in Buffalo, or at least Western New York, that was James

00:06Cook.

00:07He did not show up for the Buffalo Bills, entering the fourth and final year of his

00:11rookie contract following a career season in 2024 with the Bills, in which he led all

00:18of the National Football League with 16 regular season rushing touchdowns.

00:24James Cook had a career year last year in Western New York, looking for a new deal,

00:28entering the final year of his rookie contract, did not show up at OTAs yesterday.

00:34Yeah, it's kind of interesting, too, because the Buffalo Bills are one of those teams that

00:37should be able to take a step this year, a very favorable schedule, maybe can get home

00:41field advantage and try it again with one of the more electric quarterbacks in the National

00:44Football League.

00:45You always look at this, and it is a negotiation we get that, because we don't know what each

00:49side is saying, because the one thing I do know is the Buffalo Bills are saying, hey,

00:53James Cook, you're going to be part of our future, but it can't be part of our future

00:56at the expense of our future, if that makes sense, with how much money we might have to

01:00give you.

01:01Let's meet halfway, because you might be looking at James Cook saying, did you see the contracts

01:04that have just been sent out here and re-ups here?

01:06Christian McCaffrey in the last couple of years, Saquon Barkley, now Derrick Henry.

01:10I had 16 touchdowns last year.

01:12I'm back-to-back over 1,000 yards.

01:13I'm a key component to the success of this football team.

01:16I want my money.

01:17And also, as we opened up the show, talking about him not showing up, saying, well, running

01:21backs in the past weren't getting paid.

01:23They are getting paid now.

01:24Nobody, even as, I mean, more importantly, as a running back, wants to go into your final

01:28season without financial security moving forward.

01:31They'll get this done.

01:32Because why?

01:33It would be stupid not to get this done when the Bills still have that window open for

01:37a hopeful Super Bowl run.