ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Buffalo Payments operating again James Cook dinner was in attendance Tuesday for the primary day of necessary minicamp regardless of looking for a contract extension as he enters the ultimate yr of his rookie deal.
Payments coach Sean McDermott mentioned that he anticipates Cook dinner working towards within the classes “so far as I do know, at this level.”
“I credit score James,” McDermott mentioned. “Enterprise is enterprise. On the finish of the day, I do know he loves being round this crew and the fellows within the locker room and he likes to play soccer.
“So, I respect his determination to be right here and be amongst the crew and get some work in immediately, and we’re trying ahead to that.”
The Payments rewarded three different members of the 2022 draft class with four-year extensions — large receiver Khalil Shakir, linebacker Terrel Bernard and cornerback Christian Benford. The Payments had conversations with Cook dinner’s crew, however finally the 2 sides weren’t near a deal.
“We’re simply taking it in the future at a time,” mentioned McDermott, who added that he’s planning on Cook dinner additionally being at coaching camp on time. “I imply, we have all been round this league a very long time and everybody has their very own conditions. They’re all completely different.
“So, I believe once more, we’d like everyone to win, and we’d like everyone to apply, and so we anticipate James to be there and be there on time but additionally perceive his state of affairs.”
Cook dinner is coming off his finest yr, tying a franchise file with 16 dashing touchdowns, which additionally tied for the NFL lead. The opposite three gamers with at the very least 15 dashing touchdowns final season — Derrick Henry, Jahmyr Gibbs, Josh Jacobs — rank among the many prime 25 operating backs in common annual pay, with two of them — Henry and Jacobs — within the prime six.
Cook dinner’s 2,638 profession dashing yards are essentially the most amongst gamers from the 2022 draft class.
Cook dinner has publicly shared his need for a brand new contract, together with going dwell on Instagram and pinning “15 mill [per] yr.” He has a median wage per yr of $1.5 million, which ranks 51st amongst operating backs in 2025. Fellow Payments operating backs Ty Johnson ($2.5 million) and Reggie Gilliam ($2 million) are forward of him.
