Running back James Cook has only one year left on his contract with the Buffalo Bills. But he may have already played his final down with the team.
Cook skipped Buffalo's offseason workouts and may not participate in the team's mandatory minicamp this week either. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Cook is "unhappy" in Buffalo and has "disconnected" himself from the team and community.
Schefter said on his podcast last week that Cook has also placed his house up for sale.
Cook had a terrific season for the Bills last season. Not only did he record his second consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season, Cook led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns. He also chipped in 32 catches for 258 yards and two additional scores.
The running back is an RB1 this season with Buffalo. But that doesn't mean he won't have just as much value with another organization.
From a fantasy football perspective, here are three great landing spots for Cook:
Washington Commanders
Washington has the deepest running back depth chart of the three teams on this list. So, it's a little odd to list them as the top potential trade destination for Cook.
But assuming Cook becomes the preferred option in Washington's backfield, it's hard to argue this isn't the best offense he could join. Quarterback Jayden Daniels is coming off an exceptional season, and the Commanders added receiver Deebo Samuel to pair with Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown on the outside.
Opposing defenses will have their hands full if Cook joins the group. The Commanders could be among the top scoring offenses in the league, giving Cook an opportunity to repeat as the league's rushing touchdown leader.
Fellow running back Brian Robinson could cut into Cook's touches, but Cook doesn't need a lot of touches to be effective. He averaged under 15 touches per game last season.
Dallas Cowboys
More than a year later, the Cowboys are still feeling the impact of deciding not to sign Derrick Henry. Tony Pollard left in free agency last offseason, which opened the door for former undrafted free agent Rico Dowdle leading the Cowboys with 1,079 rushing yards in 2024.
Although the undrafted rookie was impressive, Cook would immediately vault to the top of Dallas' running back depth chart. If quarterback Dak Prescott and company stay healthy, this could be a better landing spot for Cook than Washington.
With CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens on the outside, there should be plenty of rushing lanes for Cook. The offense could also do plenty of scoring. Just two years ago, Dallas led the NFL in points per game.
Chicago Bears
I'm not as high on the Bears offense as some fantasy analysts this spring. Call it being burnt previously trusting that Chicago players would provide me more fantasy value.
But adding a playmaker such as Cook would be a huge addition for Chicago.
D'Andre Swift will return as Chicago's top running back. Last season, he gained 959 yards on the ground. But his efficiency was terrible, as he averaged 3.8 yards per carry.
Averaging an additional yard per carry, Cook would be a literal bolt of lightning for Chicago's offense.
Swift could cut into Cook's goal line carries, and there's no guarantee a Caleb Williams-led offense becomes one of the top scoring units in the league. But Cook has the chance to be a good fantasy asset if he lands in Chicago, and he would likely raise everyone else's value.
