By CHUCK POLLOCK, Sun Senior Sports Columnist
Bills’ fans found good reason from optimism this past week in the most innocuous of events … mandatory mini-camp.
The most encouraging event was the appearance by James Cook, the fourth-year running back, in the midst of a dispute over a salary extension.
Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane has made it clear that boost won’t be forthcoming, not because it isn’t deserved, but rather that the team, at the moment, is up against the salary cap.
The two-time Pro Bowler could have played hard-ball. After all, last season he rushed for 16 touchdowns — tying O.J. Simpson’s franchise record — and caught passes for two more.
The 2022 second-round draft back, with a salary of $5.3 million ranks 15th among players at his position. Reportedly he’s asking for $15 million, third only to Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffery among NFL RBs and tied with the Ravens’ Derrick Henry.
Indeed, James’ brother Dalvin, who had a successful six-season stint with the Vikings, plus stops with the Jets, Ravens and Cowboys, where he’s still on the roster, has suggested that his sibling be paid $20 million a year.
“I LIKE my money, I definitely do. That’s why I’m here,” he said last week, showing no trace of bitterness.
Of course there a bit of pragmatism involved as he could have been fined $101,716 for missing mandatory mini-camp and, if hre opted to skip training camp next month at Pittsford’s St. John Fisher University, it would have cost him $50,000 a day to hang out a home back in Miami.
Cook’s older brother, Dalvin, posted on X that James deserves to be paid $20 million … an admittedly absurd figure.
But he gave no such bad vibes.
“We do a lot, and I think we should be valued as that,” Cook said. “All the hard work we put in on the ground, pass-blocking and those type of things. I think we should be valued more.”
Then, too, there was wisdom in Cook showing up.
It spoke volumes to his teammates and coaching staff that it wasn’t all about him. Then, too, Cook knows his value. He plays behind NFL MVP Josh Allen, an elite quarterback. But what has made the Bills one of the league’s top teams is the one-two punch of Allen’s arm and Cook’s legs, which average nearly five yards per carry, sixth-best in the league.
As Allen pointed out during the week, “I’m very, very proud that he’s here and he’s working as hard as he is, being on the field with us. I know a lot of guys that wouldn’t do that, but he’s out there and working hard and showing everyone that he’s here for the right reasons. Hopefully, that (contract) can get solved. I love Jimbo … the whole team does. He’s one of the best backs in the league and hopefully that can be reflected soon. Props for him to be here and show up and show out like that.”
He added, “I want everybody to get paid and get what they’re worth. I don’t have anything to do with that. All I care about is he’s here mentally and he can come out and perform physically. Usually, the rest takes care of itself … it shows a lot that he’s here.”
THE OTHER revelation at mandatory minicamp wasn’t so much good news as encouraging.
Edge rusher Joey Bosa — this year’s Von Miller — revealed that his recovery from a calf injury was on track and he expects to be ready to go when training camp opens in late July at St. John Fisher University, though pro players are notoriously poor prognosticators in their recovery from injury.
He said “there is “no question” he will be ready for the start of training camp. It’s improving very fast. I think (the trainers) are being careful at this time of the year when you have plenty of time to recover. We’re making sure we’re being smart and having a good progression and not pushing it too hard. If it was middle of the season, we would be pushing to play faster.”
Bosa has missed 23 games over the past 10 seasons — hamstring (2016), foot (2018 and 2021), shin (2020), groin (2022) and hip (2024) injuries — but this is his first documented calf injury.
“I’m still learning it,” Bosa said of the Bills’ defensive system. “I’ve missed out on a few reps during the offseason, but I’ve been doing my best to get mental reps. I have all the notes and the playbook, so I’ll have plenty of time to brush up on that in the next two months.”
(Chuck Pollock, a Wellsville Sun and Olean Star senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@wnynet.net.)
