James Cook's contract stand-off gets weirder during warm-ups for Bills' exhibition

It's something new everyday when it comes to the unconventional contract "stand-off between the Buffalo Bills and running back James Cook, and, to be honest, it's getting weird.

Heading into the final year of his rookie contract, Cook has made one thing clear — he wants to get paid. In the months following the Instagram story activity that revealed his $15 million per year demand, however, the running back has been sending mixed messages that seem to change daily.

In a reversal of the hold-in tactics that he resorted to over the past week, Cook was warming up, in full uniform, when the Bills took the field prior to their preseason opener against the New York Giants on Saturday afternoon.

Despite his pregame participation, Cook did not start the game with the first-team offense as Ray Davis got the nod instead.

The 25-year-old Cook, who is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing campaigns, was a full participant for the first week of Bills' training camp. but that all changed last Sunday.

James Cook - suited up, going through pregame warmups

Not sure if or how much of him we see in this game but this is a good sign given the events of the last 6 days #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/Hxpz0JjKxX
— Dom Tibbetts (@DomTibbettsTV) August 9, 2025

When the Bills returned to St. Fischer John University after the August 1 Return of the Blue & Red practice, the running back practice began his new course of action. He called it "business," participating in only meetings and walk throughs and declining to dress for practice.

On Thursday morning, Bills' head coach Sean McDermott answered a question about Cook's status by stating his expectation that the RB1 would return to practice for the final session at St. John Fisher. He did not.

With still no telling how it will end, the saga began when Cook declined to show up for voluntary OTAs throughout the spring. He was, however, on time for mandatory June minicamp, and he even made himself available to the media on Day 1.

The likely scenario is that Cook has seen a number of his teammates get banged up early in training camp, and he isn't interested in taking any unnecessary risk until he gets his new contract.

Bills running back James Cook signs autographs for fans during day five of Buffalo Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University Monday, July 28, 2025 in Pittsford, NY. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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