The Buffalo Bills know they have one of the best offenses in the league. They have a league MVP at quarterback, a great offensive line, and quality skill players.
It's one of the big reasons Buffalo is considered a title contender in 2025.
Not everyone is so high on the Bills' offense, though.
Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine broke down a best- and worst-case scenario for the offense next season. In the worst-case scenario, Ballentine described James Cook's contract status as a way to "water down" the offense.
"James Cook had nearly 400 more scrimmage yards than any other player on the offense," Ballentine wrote. "His emergence as a dual-threat running back has been one of the reasons Brandon Beane deserves credit for putting together a supporting cast that works around Allen."
The analyst later explained why not having Cook in the offense could force the Bills to be one-dimensional and rely on Josh Allen even more.
As a contributor to Buffalo's offense, there's an argument to be made that Cook is the group's best player outside of Allen. He led the league in rushing touchdowns last season and has recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
He has continuously pushed for a new contract worth over $15 million annually. With just under $5 million in cap space, Buffalo isn't in a position to give him that kind of money.
While Cook did arrive for mandatory minicamp, there's no guarantee that he will show up for training camp in a month. If he chooses to sit out, it will only draw attention to the drama of his contract situation.
According to Ballentine, that is a worst-case scenario moving forward.