Bills Putting Trust in RB James Cook: 'Cut it Loose!'

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook can handle every situation now, according to Ken Dorsey.

Suffice to say James Cook has come a long way since fumbling away his first NFL carry last September. The second-year running back wasn't the top option for the Buffalo Bills at the time, and the ball coming loose certainly didn't do anything to inspire confidence to give him more touches.

But by the end of the season, Cook had proved to be their most efficient runner, which inspired enough confidence for the coaching staff and general manager Brandon Beane to let lead back Devin Singletary leave in free agency. Cook averaged 5.7 yards per carry and never fumbled again en route to 687 yards from scrimmage.

Now that he's the lead back, offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey talked on Friday about why the team feels so good about Cook headed into Monday's season opener against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.

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"I think the biggest thing is just obviously the reps that he's gotten," Dorsey said. "You know, he just continues to grow. So it's some of those little detail things, whether it's pressing the hole, whether it's maybe a concept or a situation, short-yardage, goal-line, that maybe he wasn't in in the past."

Dorsey is encouraged that Cook has steadily grown into his expanded role.

"Just the ability to finish runs, I think, is really encouraging to see, those hidden yards of getting an extra, you know, 1 or 2 yards to keep us out of maybe second-and-1 or third-and-1," Dorsey said. "Those [are] things that he's really grown and improved on -- just the physicality aspect of it, you know, and not always necessarily, `hey, I don't need to hit a home run, there's times where I just need to get an extra 2 or 3 yards to help us. So those things have been been big for us

"And then I'm just excited to see him go out there and cut it loose and just play free, play fast, play confident."

Cook won't be counted on to do everything on his own, either, thanks to the additions of veterans Damien Harris and Latavius Murray to a nearly completely revamped corps.

"I think we've got a great room there," Dorsey said. "We've got a lot of guys who can come in and make plays for us and spell him and some guys that give some changeups to a different style than what he has, and I think that's going to benefit us down the road."