The Buffalo Bills have some drama this offseason. Usually, teams have drama around their starting quarterback, but that is not the case with the Bills.
Quarterback Josh Allen is entering his eighth NFL season, coming off his first MVP, and has zero drama surrounding him.
Allen agreed to a new contract this offseason, so there will be no holding out during training camp, but one of his teammates hasn’t gotten their new deal.
James Cook Is Looking For A New Contract
Running back James Cook is entering the final year of his rookie deal and has made it known that he wants a new contract.
Cook is a two-time Pro Bowler and last year rushed for 1,009 yards and a career-high 16 touchdowns.
The 25-year-old running back was crucial to the Bills’ success, but Cook indicates he wants $15 million annually.
Paying Cook $15 million a year isn’t ideal since Allen is on an expensive contract, and the team will need to spend more money and assets on the defensive side.
While Cook was great last season, Allen is still the team’s primary running threat, which means the Bills could let Cook walk and use a running back by committee.
Ray Davis Named Bills Breakout Star
Last year, the Bills took Kentucky running back Ray Davis in the fourth round, and Bills On SI writer Randy Gurzi thinks Davis could be a “breakout star” this season.
“That’s led to a belief the Bills need to think about life after Cook, but they might not have to look far for a potential replacement. Instead, they could rely on second-year running back Ray Davis,” Gurzi wrote. “A fourth-round pick out of Kentucky, Davis ran for 442 yards with three touchdowns. He added another three touchdowns and 189 yards on 17 receptions. His first season was similar to Cook’s, who had 507 rushing yards and 180 receiving yards with three total touchdowns. He then broke out in his second campaign with 1,567 yards from scrimmage. Davis might not have as much of a leap in numbers, but like Cook, his workload is likely to increase, resulting in a much better season for the former Wildcat.”
Davis is a great option to be named the Bills’ possible breakout star, and if the young running back has a great season, Buffalo may not want to extend Cook.
If Davis shows he can carry Cook’s workload, the team might not be interested in giving Cook a new deal.
This will be a significant season for the Bills to figure out their running back room, and there is still a possibility the team will add a rookie during this year’s NFL Draft.
Every team usually has a player going through contract negotiations who could hold out during training camp. If Cook decides to hold out, that could be the perfect opportunity for Davis to step up and show what he can do as a leadback.
