The Buffalo Bills are 35 days away from hosting the Baltimore Ravens in one of the more pivotal Week 1 showdowns in recent NFL memory. As crazy as it sounds, this early clash of AFC titans could ultimately decide who earns home-field advantage on the road to Super Bowl LX.
Yet, as Buffalo prepares to kick off the upcoming campaign against one of their biggest threats, not everyone has their eye on the ball. Bills Pro Bowl running back James Cook ostensibly has his sights on a different prize, the green kind. He and the team have been at a contractual impasse for several months, with him now escalating the situation.
Amid his stalemate with the Bills, Cook missed Day 9 of Buffalo's training camp. The 25-year-old sat out due to "business," AKA a negotiation ploy, one he reportedly wasn't shy to repeatedly voice. You can't fault him for trying to gain leverage in this deadlock, but the timing is impeccably bad, especially for a club with championship aspirations.
Bills RB James Cook asked why he didn’t practice today?
— Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) August 3, 2025
“Business.”
Followed up with if he’ll practice tomorrow: “Business.”
Kept repeating “business” over and over.
Bills star RB James Cook suddenly skipping training camp puts Bills in a brutal spot
Cook has been present throughout Buffalo's offseason workout program, seemingly hoping to get rewarded for his good faith (and elite production). Suddenly, he's doing a 180. It suggests extension talks have hit a snag or someone is giving him new advice. Either way, a potential hold-in looms, and that's the last thing the Bills need.
Buffalo has a prime opportunity to get a jump on the Ravens and claim the head-to-head edge over them, which is the first playoff tiebreaker. Both of these squads are in contention for the conference's No. 1 seed, making this no ordinary regular-season opener. The stakes are massive, but Cook appears to be more focused on securing his future.
Cook wants to get paid for his work
We're all for player empowerment and want to see stars like Cook not get paid accordingly, but maximize their earnings. Milk every last dollar and perk possible from a well-oiled multi-billion-dollar corporation that won't miss any money it gives you. Moreover, you can argue that being cordial hasn't gotten him what he wants. Be that as it may, the Bills have bigger fish to fry with the Ravens coming to Highmark Stadium on Sep. 7.
In 2024, Cook became the eighth Bill to post back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons. He also led the league in rushing touchdowns (16). Buffalo needs him to get where they want to go, making his engagement and practice participation (or lack thereof) a storyline worth monitoring.