There is no doubt that the Buffalo Bills will once again be one of the contenders in the American Conference aiming to return to the Super Bowl for the first time in the last 20 years. Remember that last season they came very close to that goal, falling in the AFC Championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
For this season, the Bills have many things working in their favor. They are the only team in the NFL that, at least before the campaign starts, are favored in every one of their games according to the sportsbooks. Of course, if someone important on the team, like Josh Allen, gets injured, everything would change, but for now, that’s how it is.
Additionally, the Bills are in the AFC East division, where they will very likely face little competition: the New York Jets with Justin Fields are starting a new project, the Miami Dolphins present more questions than answers, and the New England Patriots are still an unknown, although Drake Maye showed some good things. But there is no doubt Buffalo is the big favorite.
James Cook wants a new contract
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is entering 2025 in the final year of his contract and has not yet received an extension. It is said that he wants to be paid above $15 million per season, just below Saquon Barkley, who is the highest paid, and Christian McCaffrey, who holds the second spot.
Cook has factors in his favor: in his last two seasons, he has surpassed 1,000 yards, with 1,009 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns in the most recent one. However, the team still seems uninterested, and this has started to create conflict between Cook and the organization.
Adam Schefter from ESPN reported that Cook is disconnected from the team and the city.
“We’re talking about a player who is unhappy with his contractual situation,” Schefter said. “(He) has basically disconnected himself from the organization and the city, put his house up for sale… I don’t think we’ll be seeing him in Buffalo anytime soon. Again, the start of training camp will be the next critical moment. If they don’t have a deal done by then, will James Cook show up for training camp? Will he risk the penalties that come with the collective bargaining agreement if he doesn’t show up?”
Training camp starts next Wednesday, and we will see then if Cook shows up or not. If he doesn’t, a dramatic saga with the Buffalo Bills would begin. If he does show, he could play out the season and then look for a lucrative contract elsewhere in 2026.
Remember that Josh Allen recently signed a 6-year, $330 million contract with the Bills, $250 million of it guaranteed, a situation that has caused issues with other players regarding contracts – one of them being James Cook – and also impacted the team’s inability to sign a top receiver for the upcoming season.
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