Buffalo Payments Professional Bowl operating again James Cook dinner, who’s searching for a contract extension, goes to proceed to push for a brand new deal regardless of being a full participant in coaching camp. Whereas talking to reporters at present, Cook dinner opened by explaining the monetary motivations to indicate up for follow.
“It’s my job, ? I obtained to take part so I gained’t get fined,” he said. “Simply come out right here, and simply present them that I’m able to go and earn what I obtained 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 return out right here and work,” he acknowledged. “I don’t owe it to no one however my teammates and myself and my household. So, by me taking part, [I’m] exhibiting my teammates that I like the sport, and I’m prepared to be out right here.”
It additionally doesn’t harm that exhibiting up for coaching camp might create extra goodwill between Cook dinner and the Payments.
“It offers me a bit leverage,” he defined. “Present them that I care about it and that I’m prepared to do it and prepared to return 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 additional motivation to proceed to construct on back-to-back Professional Bowl seasons.
“We’ve got talks. I’m by no means going to surrender,” he stated confidently. “I imply, I deserve what I need, [what] I would like, and it’s going to finally occur.”
Cook dinner stated 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 need to convey 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 stated one thing considerably regarding for Payments followers.
“I imply, nonetheless it’s taking place, it’s going to get accomplished, wherever it occurs at,” Cook dinner clarified.
“When James got here in for the obligatory camp, we spoke,” general manager Brandon Beane told reporters yesterday. “We’ve at all times had an excellent relationship. And – as I’ve stated all alongside – I like James Cook dinner… I need 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 have the funds for so as to add different gamers in-season and subsequent low season.
“It’s a enterprise. We’ve got 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 a whole lot of guys we will take down.’ We must commerce or lower somebody that we wouldn’t need to lose. So, it’s not solely 2025 once we’re doing a take care of 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 concerning contract negotiations.
“I feel everybody is aware of I’m going to have an open dialogue with the gamers,” he stated. “That’s simply who I’m. And, we’ll let the enterprise care for itself.”
Both means, it feels like James Cook dinner desires to proceed his NFL profession with the Buffalo Payments. He stated that the “quarterback and the followers” are two of the most important explanation why he desires to stay in Buffalo.
“It’s a fantastic group,” Cook dinner stated. “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.”
