It was a nice surprise to see James Cook report to training camp for the Bills despite being in the midst of a contract negotiation. We’ve seen several other talented players (Micah Parsons, Trey Hendrickson, Terry McLaurin) all report to camp, but not practice with their respective teams as they wait on a new deal.
But that wasn’t the case for Cook, who showed up to camp ready to work. He’s been a full participant over the last two weeks as the Bills gear up for Week 1. That is what makes his latest negotiation tactic so shocking. On Sunday, Cook showed up for practice but did not participate. After practice, he caught up with some reporters, and when asked why he didn’t practice, his only response was “business”.
That was a shocking move as Cook appeared to be operating in good faith with the front office. And yet, the front office was stunned that he didn’t take the field. Bills GM Brandon Beane wasn’t aware that Cook would sit out practice until minutes before, and the front office isn’t aware if and when he will participate again:
Beane on @WGR550 - On James Cook not practicing: "not something they were fully aware of until shortly before practice." Hoping to get him back out soon, but remains to be seen.
— Sal Capaccio 🏈 (@SalSports) August 4, 2025
Both sides want to get a deal done, but the fact that it hasn’t happened yet is somewhat surprising. Cook wants a new deal, but he isn’t likely to sign a contract that puts him in the Saquon Barkley/Derrick Henry salary range. But he has been incredibly productive over the last two seasons and doesn’t have a lot of wear-and-tear on his body, either.
However, one of the concerns that Beane and the rest of the front office have is the future cap space (2026 and 2027). With so many players already locked up to long-term deals, the Bills are already over the salary cap for the 2026 season. While they will certainly release a few players and restructure some deals to free up room, the Bills have to be very careful about how they spend their money over the next few seasons.
All signs point to this deal eventually getting done, but the fact that Cook has had to take drastic measures to get the attention of the front office is never a good sign. At this point, it would be a surprise to see Cook on the field in the preseason. And the fact that the front office was caught this much off-guard suggests that maybe a deal isn’t that close to getting done.