Buffalo Payments Professional Bowl working again James Cook dinner, who’s in search of a contract extension, goes to proceed to push for a brand new deal regardless of being a full participant in coaching camp. Whereas chatting with reporters in the present day, Cook dinner opened by explaining the monetary motivations to indicate up for observe.
“It’s my job, ? I bought to take part so I received’t get fined,” he said. “Simply come out right here, and simply present them that I’m able to go and earn what I bought to go get.”
Whereas different NFL stars like Trey Hendrickson and Terry McLaurin are staging holdouts within the hopes of receiving contract extensions, that thought by no means went by means of Cook dinner’s thoughts.
“I didn’t actually give it some thought. I simply knew I used to be going to come back out right here and work,” he acknowledged. “I don’t owe it to no person however my teammates and myself and my household. So, by me taking part, [I’m] displaying my teammates that I really like the sport, and I’m prepared to be out right here.”
It additionally doesn’t harm that displaying up for coaching camp might create extra goodwill between Cook dinner and the Payments.
“It provides me somewhat leverage,” he defined. “Present them that I care about it and that I’m prepared to do it and prepared to come back out right here and take part and present my teammates that I’m prepared to be out right here and compete with them guys.”
Cook dinner admitted that the will to obtain a contract extension supplies him with further motivation to proceed to construct on back-to-back Professional Bowl seasons.
“We now have talks. I’m by no means going to surrender,” he mentioned confidently. “I imply, I deserve what I need, [what] I want, and it’s going to finally occur.”
Cook dinner mentioned that his teammates have his again in these negotiations. They’ve been “very supportive” all through this course of.
“I don’t actually speak to them about issues like that, however I simply form of like not wish to deliver that as much as the workforce and be a distraction,” Cook dinner defined. “So, I simply form of keep to myself and simply let my brokers and people guys work issues out.”
He finally mentioned one thing considerably regarding for Payments followers.
“I imply, nonetheless it’s occurring, it’s going to get carried out, wherever it occurs at,” Cook dinner clarified.
“When James got here in for the necessary camp, we spoke,” general manager Brandon Beane told reporters yesterday. “We’ve at all times had relationship. And – as I’ve mentioned all alongside – I really like James Cook dinner… I wish to draft, develop, [and] re-sign our personal.”
Pretty much as good as which may sound, there are choices that Beane and the Payments must make to make sure they’ll signal Cook dinner and nonetheless find the money for so as to add different gamers in-season and subsequent low season.
“It’s a enterprise. We now have to suit it in, not solely money, however cap,” Beane defined. “We even have to take a look at ’26, ’27, and past as a result of you’ll be able to stroll your self into a kind of years the place you’re like, ‘Oh man, there’s not loads of guys we will take down.’ We must commerce or lower somebody that we wouldn’t wish to lose. So, it’s not solely 2025 after we’re doing a cope with him or some other participant. All these issues must make sense for us to suit it in.”
The excellent news is that Brandon Beane goes to be clear with gamers on the Payments’ roster relating to contract negotiations.
“I feel everybody is aware of I’m going to have an open dialogue with the gamers,” he mentioned. “That’s simply who I’m. And, we’ll let the enterprise care for itself.”
Both method, it seems like James Cook dinner desires to proceed his NFL profession with the Buffalo Payments. He mentioned that the “quarterback and the followers” are two of the largest the reason why he desires to stay in Buffalo.
“It’s a terrific group,” Cook dinner mentioned. “They drafted me for a purpose, I really feel like. I’m prepared to be right here and spend the remainder of my profession right here.”
