-
Alaina Getzenberg
PITTSFORD, N.Y. — Buffalo Payments working again James Cook dinner got here out to St. John Fisher College on Sunday afternoon however didn’t take part in a compulsory observe for the primary time since searching for a contract extension this offseason.
Cook dinner, speaking to a bunch of three reporters after observe, was requested why he didn’t take part.
“Oh, nothing,” he stated. “Enterprise.”
Cook dinner was requested whether or not it was his alternative to not observe Sunday, whether or not he was holding in and whether or not he deliberate to observe Monday. To these questions, he stated merely, “Enterprise.”
The Payments stated “no remark” when requested about Cook dinner, who’s within the remaining yr of his rookie deal, not taking part in Sunday’s observe. His agent didn’t return a request for remark. Cook dinner was not included in coach Sean McDermott’s checklist of injured gamers not taking part forward of the session.
Cook dinner was on the sector for all of observe, even spending a brief interval on an train bike with injured gamers, and wore a white sweatsuit with a Payments sweatshirt and a beanie together with his quantity on it.
He was requested how sad he was with the “enterprise” proper now, to which he responded, “Simply enterprise.” He was then requested if he was excited by telling his facet of negotiations, to which Cook dinner stated, “It ain’t no facet. It is simply enterprise.”
The contract scenario has been an ongoing concern after Cook dinner went public early within the offseason together with his want to be paid like one of many NFL’s prime working backs. Cook dinner, nevertheless, had maintained initially of camp that he wished to take part in observe and be there for his teammates — and keep away from being fined. He didn’t attend the staff’s voluntary offseason staff actions however absolutely participated in all three days of obligatory minicamp and the primary eight practices of coaching camp.
The Payments gave contract extensions to 3 different members of the 2022 draft class this offseason: huge receiver Khalil Shakir, linebacker Terrel Bernard and cornerback Christian Benford.
Cook dinner is the Payments’ lead working again however is a part of a committee. He was on the sector for simply over 45% of offensive performs final yr, with Ty Johnson typically coming in on late downs and Ray Davis additionally getting alternatives. Cook dinner’s 2,638 profession dashing yards are probably the most amongst gamers from the 2022 draft class. He tied a franchise file for dashing touchdowns in a season final yr (16).
“Typically you may’t get on the identical web page, or generally you are attempting to suit it in,” normal supervisor Brandon Beane stated at begin of the camp. “There’s occasions guys have left right here that we actually wished. We simply could not make it work. However I can let you know, I am hopeful once we’re sitting right here at subsequent yr’s coaching camp that James Cook dinner is on the market training and nonetheless representing the pink, white and blue.”
