"A deal is coming soon": NFL fans react as James Cook takes 11-on-11 reps during warmups ahead of Bills preseason opener

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook traded contract talks for cleats on Saturday, joining first-team warmups before the team’s preseason matchup with the New York Giants.

The brief 11-on-11 participation, first noted by The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia, marked Cook’s most visible involvement with the squad since his hold-in began earlier in training camp. He has been sitting out full practices while seeking a long-term extension entering the final season of his rookie contract.

James Cook’s reappearance lit up X within minutes.

"A deal is coming soon," one user wrote.

Dennis

@Dennis_Celtics

A deal is coming soon

"Guess business hours just reopened," another supporter noted.

"Ready to play," added another.

Additional reactions followed:

"So is he getting paid or no?" one user wrote.

"Plot twist," another supporter noted.

"So he doesn't get fined probably," added another.

The Georgia product is coming off a career-best season in which he ran for 1,009 yards and 16 touchdowns on 207 carries, averaging 4.9 yards per attempt. He also caught 32 passes for 258 yards and two more scores, cementing himself as Buffalo’s top rushing threat. Across three NFL seasons, he has 97 receptions for 883 yards and four touchdowns.

Cook’s agent, Zac Hiller, recently told The Athletic that his client “only wants to be a Buffalo Bill” and expressed confidence in eventually reaching an agreement.

The Bills, meanwhile, have less than $1 million in available salary cap space, making any new contract a delicate negotiation.

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Quarterback Josh Allen publicly weighed in on Thursday, calling James Cook “one of the best running backs in the league” and stressing his importance to the offense.

General manager Brandon Beane acknowledged on "One Bills Live" that he’s never had a player miss practice over contract issues in his nine years in Buffalo, adding he hopes for “resolution one way or the other.”

Cook was a versatile playmaker at Georgia, amassing more than 2,200 yards from scrimmage despite sharing carries with future NFL backs D’Andre Swift and Zamir White. His ability to line up as both runner and receiver remains a focal point for the Bills, especially with Stefon Diggs now in Houston.

Whether Saturday’s cameo was a contract breakthrough or just a tease remains to be seen. But for Bills fans eager to see Cook back in the huddle, it was at least a reminder of how much more dynamic the offense looks with No. 4 in uniform.