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New Bills offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. is looking forward to working with James Cook
When the Buffalo Bills return to action in 2026, they are going to look very different, at least on the sidelines. After another short playoff run, the Bills fired head coach Sean McDermott and eventually promoted offensive coordinator Joe Brady to replace him. Brady has quickly worked on filling out his coaching staff, and it’s safe to say this group looks nothing like McDermott’s staff.
One of Brady’s first hires saw him bring Pete Carmichael Jr. to town to be his new offensive coordinator. Brady and Carmichael previously worked together with the New Orleans Saints, and now, they will reunite in Buffalo. Carmichael has several weapons he will work with on the Bills, but one of the guys he’s most excited to help develop is superstar running back James Cook.
Pete Carmichael Jr. Dishes on James Cook
Carmichael spent the past two seasons working as a senior offensive assistant for the Denver Broncos, but before that, he spent 15 years working as the Saints’ offensive coordinator. During that time, New Orleans frequently featured one of the top offenses in the league, thanks in large part to Carmichael’s work with star quarterback Drew Brees.
Now, Carmichael will take over an offense that features arguably the best quarterback in the league, Josh Allen. One of the big goals for Buffalo this offseason is going to involve getting him more help on offense. However, they won’t have to worry about the running back position, as Cook is fresh off easily the best season of his young career.
Cook saw a significant uptick in carries in 2025, as his 309 carries this season were over 100 more than he got in 2024. And yet, Cook still improved his already incredible efficiency, as he averaged 5.2 yards per carry. All in all, Cook led the league with 1,621 yards on the ground, while also racking up 14 total touchdowns. Carmichael’s work with Allen will receive the majority of folks’ attention, but he’s also excited to work on helping Cook continue to improve.
“He’s pretty good,” Carmichael said of Cook. “My goal is just not to screw him up … I’m real excited about the player.”
James Cook Still Has Room for Improvement in 2026
GettyCHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – OCTOBER 26: James Cook #4 of the Buffalo Bills runs into the end zone for a touchdown in the third quarter of the game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on October 26, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
It may seem tough for Cook to find things to improve on in 2026, but there’s no such thing as a perfect player in the NFL. Cook’s involvement in the passing game remained somewhat minimal (33 REC, 291 YDS, 2 TD), and while that’s largely due to Ty Johnson being used as the team’s receiving back, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Carmichael get his top offensive playmaker more involved as a weapon out of the backfield that Allen can throw to.
The more Cook can do on the ground, the more dangerous the Bills’ offense will be. Getting Allen some help at the wide receiver position is going to be crucial this offseason, but regardless of who he is throwing to, he’s going to need Cook producing on the ground. The good news is that Carmichael seems to recognize this, and while it’s going to be tough to top some of the numbers he put up in 2025, it would be wise to expect Cook to put together another big season next year.
Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is a Breaking News Writer at Heavy. In addition to writing for Heavy, Owen works as a Content Producer for More Views Media. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli
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