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Bills OC says star RB James Cook ‘looks different,’ isn’t worried about workload

Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady is impressed with what he's seen from running back James Cook this offseason.

Kyle Silagyi

Bills running back James Cook throws a football back to a fan in the stands after autographing the ball during the opening day of Buffalo Bills training camp.
Bills running back James Cook throws a football back to a fan in the stands after autographing the ball during the opening day of Buffalo Bills training camp. / Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and
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James Cook was viewed as one of the more dynamic, but limited prospects in what was a stout 2022 running back class; most scouts and prognosticators praised his route running and pass-catching ability out of the backfield, but given his slight build, few projected the Georgia Bulldog as a lead back at the professional level.

He bucked that expectation in just his second season, bursting onto the scene in an increased offensive role with the Buffalo Bills. He finished fourth in the NFL in rushing yards (1,122) and sixth in yards from scrimmage (1,567), becoming an offensive focal point after Joe Brady ascended to interim offensive coordinator in Week 11. He totaled 137 touches and 730 yards after Brady took over play-calling duties, firmly establishing himself as the best running back Buffalo fans have seen since a certain former Pro Bowler made a habit of ‘cutting on a dime’ in the team’s backfield.

Cook exceeded predictions with not only his production, but workload; he totaled 281 touches throughout the regular season, a 155% increase from his rookie campaign. He never sniffed that type of workload throughout his four-year stint at Georgia, the closest he came being his senior season in which he totaled 140 touches.

Related: Bills OC impressed by WR Keon Coleman’s training camp debut: It ‘shows who he is’

It was an unexpectedly substantial workload for Cook, but one that he made the most of. Though some are concerned about his ability to hold up throughout the 2024 campaign given his touch count last season, now full-time offensive coordinator Joe Brady is not among this camp; the play-caller praised the third-year back ahead of Thursday’s training camp practice, reiterating confidence in his ability to handle a heavy workload.

“Sometimes it’s a benefit, especially in college, when they don’t have a crazy workload because that’s wear and tear on your body,” Brady said. “Whether you’re carrying the ball in high school or college, sometimes it’s like, hey, ‘they can be a workhorse back,’ whatever that might mean, but that’s a lot of touches and hits that they put on them in college. We’ll see how Jimbo goes, but when you look at Jimbo, I think I said it in spring, he looks different. He’s stronger, he’s more put together. You can tell he put in a lot of work. It’s important to him, so I’m excited to just see him continue to evolve and get better.”

Cook objectively ‘broke out’ in the 2023 campaign (any player who finishes just outside the top five in scrimmage yards is a star, by any metric), but his play could be even stronger in the 2024 campaign thanks to his potential opportunity. Given his comfort in a Brady offense, his newly added strength, and the already demonstrated trust his coordinator has in him, the sky could be the limit for Cook this fall. 

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Kyle Silagyi
KYLE SILAGYI

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