What is going to happen to the Buffalo Bills and running back James Cook? Will the team finally come to a long-term extension plan, or are the two sides looking to split up following the 2025 season?<\/p>\n
That’s the question many fans in Western New York want to know. Cook is a Pro Bowl caliber running back and one of the better all-around players at his position. He led the league in rushing touchdowns last year, and has recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.<\/p>\n
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As he enters the final year of his contract, though, the Bills aren’t looking to pay his intended $15 million deal.<\/p>\n
And that is the reason that Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine suggested Cook as a possible trade candidate for this offseason.<\/p>\n
“Fortunately for Beane and Co., there aren’t a lot of questions for one of the best offenses in the league,” Ballentine wrote. “Josh Allen has proven he can make the Bills weapons work and the biggest potentially negative storyline revolves around whether James Cook will get a new contract extension or if we are headed toward a holdout.”<\/p>\n
The running back position, while it has been celebrated with some lucrative contracts over the last few seasons, still is a group that is devalued overall. The shelf life of some of the best players is dwindling.<\/p>\n
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And it’s why the Bills may be willing to move on a year before they really need to.<\/p>\n
Buffalo’s offense is going to be elite with or without James Cook. But the possibility of him being a trade candidate continues to grow the longer it seems the two are at an impasse.<\/p>\n
Related: Bills Learn Their Lesson with New ‘Splash’ Free Agency Moves<\/a><\/p>\n