All eyes in Western New York are on the Buffalo Bills and their disgruntled running back James Cook. The league leader in rushing touchdowns last season is looking for a new deal with the team.
The team doesn't have the desire to pony up the $15 million per year he seemingly wants in an extension.
So ... the two sides are at an impasse.
Cook is using what he can to gain any sort of leverage he can get at this point. It is why he has not shows up to voluntary OTAs at this point of the offseason.
But .... The more he is away from the team, the more of a distraction this becomes.
Not everyone on the Bills overlooks the importance of OTAs, though. Former first-round edge rusher Greg Rousseau has consistently spoken out about how important the practices have been to meeting new teammates.
“Just by talking to them, honestly. Bosa, Larry, TJ, I talked to them specifically. They all like anime, so there's little things like that, like off the field stuff where you can kind of build that, build that bond and build something to talk about. It carries on to the football field and it shows, it shows a lot in the fall and winter," said Rousseau.
Buffalo's continuity has been important to their success in recent years. It's a big reason why they have been able to reorganize the priorities of the team and remain a top contender.
Cook's absence is different, though. It's could be taken as a sign that he doesn't care about continuity or building chemistry with new teammates - that he wants the money he feels is owed.
That's not fair. But the audience ends up taking sides. So it's coming.
In fairness? Any running back in his position could do the same. Any player could, too.
But that's where both sides are at right now. Cook is missing valuable practice reps while the rest of the Bills get to know each other.