James Cook's Contract Hold-In is 'Disappointing,' Says Bills GM Brandon Beane

Amid contract negotiations with the Buffalo Bills, running back James Cook has opted to stage a hold-in during the team's training camp.

General manager Brandon Beane called the hold-in "disappointing" and "not something we want."

"Yeah, I mean, without getting into things, there's been constant communication with his agent, either with myself or (VP of football administration) Kevin Meganck," Beane said, per NFL.com's Kevin Patra. "So, you know, at the end of the day, I wish we weren't here. This is my ninth season here, we've never had a player miss due to a contract or anything like that, so that's disappointing for me.

"It's not something we want, it's not something we're looking forward to. But at the end of the day, like I said earlier, it sometimes can be the way of the world, so we'll deal with it the best we can, and hopefully, I'd love to see Jimbo out there today -- I don't know that answer at this point this morning whether that will happen or not -- but if it's not today, hopefully tomorrow."

Cook is entering the final year of a four-year, $5.8 million contract and is set to earn $5.271 million in base salary in 2025. The former second-round pick in 2022 is coming off the best season of his career, recording 1,009 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground, which was tied for the most in the NFL.

Rather than collecting the fines that come with holding out, Cook decided to hold in during Buffalo's first mandatory workout on Sunday. He spent time working out on a stationary bike but did not join his teammates for drills.

As for his reason, Cook said it had to do with "business."

Cook has proved that he's worth more than his current price tag, and Spotrac gives him a projected market value of $10.2 million, but it's hard to say how much the Bills are willing to spend on him.

Running backs seldom see big pay days since their position is often seen as a bit of a risk to commit to financially. Still, this offseason might be the time to make a push for a big extension, considering Philadelphia Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley inked an extension worth $20.6 million per year, and Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry landed an extension that pays him $15 million per year.

Those figures might be a bit unrealistic for Cook, but at just 25 years old, he should command a pretty high price point.

The Bills came just shy of knocking off the Kansas City Chiefs to finally get back to the Super Bowl a season ago, and Cook's success in the backfield was a major factor in their success. Whether Buffalo will reward him with a new contract this offseason is to be determined.