Only two of the Buffalo Bills鈥 players weren鈥檛 on the field Tuesday morning when coach Sean McDermott gathered his team for the first of six organized team activities.
One absence wasn鈥檛 a surprise, but McDermott acknowledged that the other is particularly 鈥渃oncerning鈥 for the Bills.
As expected, two-time Pro Bowl running back James Cook isn鈥檛 at the Bills鈥 voluntary offseason workouts. The 2022 second-round draft pick is entering the final year of his contract and wants an extension that would make him one of the highest-paid players at his position.
Joey Bosa, on the other hand, had been working with his new teammates at One Bills Drive until late last week when he strained a calf muscle. The injury kept him off the practice field Tuesday, and McDermott said it may be serious enough to sideline the veteran pass rusher until training camp in July.
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鈥淟isten, it is concerning,鈥 McDermott acknowledged during a 25-minute press conference. 鈥淒urability, availability are key ties to our roster. So, we basically look ahead in terms of what he鈥檚 doing now, which is getting himself the treatment that he needs, and he鈥檚 working hard at it. That鈥檚 all that he can control right now. 鈥 We鈥檙e going to do the best job we can and I know he is as well, and we just take it one day at a time.鈥
The Bills gave the oft-injured Bosa a one-year, $12.6 million contract in March to upgrade a defensive line that produced 39 sacks in 2024. General manager Brandon Beane understood the risk of signing Bosa, but it鈥檚 a worthwhile bet given Bosa鈥檚 pedigree and past production.
Bosa was the AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2016 following a season in which he totaled 17 tackles for loss, including 10陆 sacks. He had double-digit sacks in four of six seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, who drafted him third overall out of Ohio State.
But he has played just 28 games over the past three seasons because of injuries.
His absence will give other pass rushers, most notably A.J. Epenesa, an opportunity to earn more snaps opposite Greg Rousseau. The Bills also selected Arkansas defensive end Landon Jackson in the third round of the draft last month.
McDermott and his players struck an optimistic tone when asked about Cook, who has been away from the Bills while trying to become the fourth member of their 2022 draft class to receive a contract extension this offseason. Previously, Beane signed linebacker Terrel Bernard, wide receiver Khalil Shakir and cornerback Christian Benford.
Cook鈥檚 $5.7 million cap hit in 2025 ranks 18th among NFL running backs, according to Over the Cap, and his 16 rushing touchdowns last year tied the single-season franchise record set by O.J. Simpson in 1975. Cook also joined Simpson as the only Bills player with 20-plus touchdowns in a season. Buffalo got consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons from Cook in 2023 and 鈥24.
All parties understand the business and, as left tackle Dion Dawkins reminded reporters Tuesday, these workouts are voluntary. Cook won鈥檛 face fines until mandatory minicamp next month, when he鈥檇 have to pay $16,459 (first day), $32,920 (second day) and $49,374 (third day).
鈥淲e鈥檙e staying in touch, like you would expect a player and coach to do,鈥 said McDermott. 鈥淛ames will be here when he鈥檚 ready to be here, and we鈥檒l move forward.鈥
Rookies come aboard
Onboarding for the Bills鈥 rookies is complete, and now they鈥檒l be integrated into the rest of the team during OTAs. Maxwell Hairston, their first-round draft pick, shut down the first-year receivers at minicamp, but how will he fare against someone like Joshua Palmer or Keon Coleman? How closely will McDermott watch and analyze his three rookie defensive linemen 鈥 Jackson, T.J. Sanders and Deone Walker?
McDermott said: 鈥淔or all of these young guys, it鈥檚 new, right? So, you鈥檙e trying to get them as people, and you鈥檙e trying to get to know them and their skill set. Where they need to improve in terms of their strength, their speed, whatever it is. We do kind of a skill assessment or a needs assessment on, hey, where are they more likely to pull early just from a medical standpoint? 鈥 Really, it鈥檚 trying to integrate them and get them moving.鈥
Analysis: Don鈥檛 read into who鈥檚 working with the Bills鈥 first- or second-team offense and defense because it鈥檚 too soon to evaluate the rookies. Tre鈥橠avious White, for example, started at cornerback opposite Benford at the start of 11-on-11 drills Tuesday. Dane Jackson got some first-team reps. McDermott and his players reminded reporters that a depth chart doesn鈥檛 exist in late May.
Receiver depth
While some fans are concerned about the Bills鈥 receiving depth chart, McDermott expressed excitement about the variety of skill sets added by Beane this offseason, most notably the signings of Palmer and Elijah Moore.
Palmer got a three-year contract with $18 million guaranteed to get open for Josh Allen, and Moore came aboard following the NFL draft. It鈥檚 no secret that the Bills are relying on Keon Coleman to take a leap in Year 2, and the 22-year-old wide receiver looks ready to prove he鈥檚 learned from the disappointing finish to his rookie season.
McDermott said: 鈥淲hen he came back, he really looked like he had been working, and that鈥檚 the information we were getting in our little conversations with him during that kind of down period. When he came back, he was in really good shape. You could tell he had been working drill-wise, weight room-wise, so I鈥檓 real proud of what he鈥檚 done to this point in the offseason.鈥
Analysis: It鈥檚 early, but Coleman looked the part on the practice field, too. The Bills believe in his talent. He needs to prove to them that he can handle the rigors of life in the NFL, whether it鈥檚 the physical toll the sport can take on an athlete鈥檚 body or the nuanced route-running he鈥檒l need to consistently win against cornerbacks.
