James Cook: “Pay James Cook already”: Bills fans have their say after ex-Panthers LB Shaq Thompson's signing

The Buffalo Bills have bolstered their defensive unit with the signing of former Carolina Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson. Buffalo's front office brought in the veteran linebacker on Tuesday, amid contractual disputes with star running back James Cook.

Thompson will join a well-rounded Bills defense, inking a one-year deal with the club, the details of which haven't yet been released.

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Following Thompson's signing, Bills fans shared their opinions on X. Some fans were optimistic about the signing, sharing their excitement.

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"Huge get for the Bills," one fan exclaimed. "Perfect compliment to Williams as a backup who has starting experience."

"Sneaky good pickup," another fan added.

"Super undervalued player and great leader," a third fan commented.

Other fans offered differing views and shifted the focus to the likes of James Cook.

"Pay Cook already," one fan declared. "Y'all so bogus, I swear."

"Stop signing Carolina leftovers," another fan posted.

"He is washed," a third fan boldly stated. "He is trash. Waste of money."

Thompson struggled to stay healthy over his final two years in Carolina, playing in just six games between 2023 and 2024. In 10 years with the Panthers, he notched 752 tackles, 54 for loss and 12 sacks.

James Cook appears at mandatory minicamp amid contract dispute

After missing OTAs in search of a new contract, James Cook was spotted at Buffalo's first day of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday. Cook has been public in his search for a contract, looking for a base salary of roughly $15 million per year.

Despite his appearance, Cook reinforced that his attendance was largely due to financial matters. Players are subject to fines from the team for missing mandatory minicamp practices.

"I like my money. I definitely do. I definitely do," he told reporters on Tuesday. "That's why I'm here."

In 2024, Cook finished as the NFL's rushing touchdowns leader in a three-way tie with Baltimore's Derrick Henry and Detroit's Jahmyr Gibbs. He racked up 207 carries for 1,009 yards and 18 total touchdowns, the second consecutive 1,000-yard rushing campaign of his three-year career.

About the author

Ethen Hutton is an analyst who works for Sportskeeda, covering College Football, the NFL, the NBA and the WNBA. Ethen graduated high school with academic and athletic honors and is a member of the National High School Honors Society. After a gap year, Ethen jumped into sports writing and has over two years of experience in the field.

Ethen was raised in Ohio and is a Cleveland Cavaliers fan. His favorite all-time player is Pete Maravich as his shooting and ball-handling abilities were way ahead of his time. His favorite player in today’s NBA is Nikola Jokic due to his fascinating skillset as a big man.

Ethen loves the storylines around the NBA and the chaos that the offseason and trade deadlines bring. He enjoys technical deep dives with strong statistical analysis as well as stories where he's able to take a stance as an analyst. He is very prideful in the correctness of his work and will do extensive research to ensure all facts and evidence are 100% accurate.

When not working, Ethen enjoys recording his sports podcast, Wide Right. He is also a very invested fantasy football player.

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Edited by Ribin Peter