PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane told The Associated Press on Monday he isn’t sure how long the contract standoff with James Cook will last after the running back declined to participate in practice for a second straight day.
Cook wore a white hat, red Bills pullover and blue shorts upon briefly entering the practice field, before ducking into a portable bathroom about 12 minutes before practice was scheduled to start. He then left the field, exiting through the trainer’s tent and did not re-appear during the two-hour session.
This marks the second day Cook has not participated in practice in the fourth-year player’s next step in escalating his bid to extend the final year of his contract. On Sunday, Cook worked out on a stationary bike before watching practice from the sideline while wearing a white sweatsuit.
A second-round pick in the 2022 draft, Cook was the NFL’s co-leader with 16 touchdowns rushing in his second full season as a starter.
Cook risks being fined by the team for declining to practice. The Bills are off Tuesday before closing camp in suburban Rochester with practices Wednesday and Thursday, followed by opening their preseason schedule by hosting the New York Giants on Saturday.
On Sunday, Cook repeatedly used the word “business” when asked about his decision to not practice, in speaking to a small group of reporters.
Cook’s agent has not returned messages seeking comment.
Earlier Monday, Beane appeared on WGR-Radio and said the team wasn’t aware of Cook’s decision to not practice Sunday until shortly before the session began. Beane also reiterated the two sides have been in constant contact in a bid to bridge the gap.
“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,” Beane said.
“But hopefully we’ll get him back out there soon,” he added. “This is my ninth season here, and 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.”
The 25-year-old Cook made no secret this offseason of his desire for a new contract that would pay him in the range of $15 million a year in what would make him among the league’s highest-paid players at his position.
Though Cook skipped all of the team’s voluntary sessions this spring, he had previously taken part in each of the Bills mandatory practices, including their first eight of training camp before Sunday.
Cook’s absence from practice comes at a time the Bills are already short on bodies because of injuries. As many as 15 players missed or were limited in practice on Sunday because of injuries, including receivers Khalil Shakir (ankle), Joshua Palmer (groin) and Curtis Samuel (hamstring).
The Bills have depth at running back with returning backups Ray Davis and Ty Johnson as well as Frank Gore Jr., who spent his rookie season last year on the practice squad.
Johnson has had several conversations with Cook and backs his teammate.
“I respect him for those decisions and everything, and I hope he gets the best results he wants,” Johnson said, following practice. “He’s trying to do what’s best for him. At the end of the day, we’re not in this league for a long time, so he’s trying to get his.”
Davis is focused on what he can control, which now includes getting additional practice time with the starters.
“I’d love to have him out here again,” Davis said. “James is one of a kind. There’s a very few amount of guys who’s breaking 75-yard runs in the NFL, and he’s one of those guys. So to see how special he is when he has a ball in his hands, he does a lot for this organization, he does a lot for this running back room.”
Meantime, the Bills signed interior offensive lineman Dan Feeney to add depth at center with backups Alec Anderson and Sedrick Van Pran-Granger sidelined. Feeney has experience playing center during his eight NFL seasons, including having 16 starts at the position in 2020, his fourth and final season with the Chargers.
The Bills released offensive lineman Rush Reimer and defensive lineman Kameron Cline.
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