The Buffalo Bills likely didn’t think they were adding a bell-cow when they selected Georgia running back James Cook in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, but that may be exactly what they found.
He was largely viewed as a complementary piece throughout the 2022 pre-draft process, an effective pass-catching option out of the backfield who didn’t have the size necessary to excel as an every-down back at the professional level. This is largely how he was used throughout his rookie season, with nearly 20% of his offensive touches coming on receptions in 2022.
He ascended to the top spot on Buffalo’s running back depth chart in the 2023 offseason given the departure of Devin Singletary, suddenly thrust into a primary running back role that he hadn’t been asked to play since high school. He—perhaps surprisingly—excelled, averaging 4.7 yards per attempt as he picked up 1,122 rushing yards. He rounded out his stat line with 445 receiving yards on 44 receptions, his 1,567 scrimmage yards good for sixth in the NFL.
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Cook positioned himself as one of the most promising young running backs in the league last year, showing discernible improvement in previous areas of concern (namely his vision) while maintaining his burst and efficiency. It was surprisingly a previous area of strength that plagued the back throughout the 2023 season, as he dropped seven passes throughout the campaign, per PFF; several of these came on potentially big plays in inopportune moments.
Newfound (and potentially overstated) pass-catching concerns aside, Cook is an objectively talented back who, at 24 years of age, should only improve in the coming seasons. He figures to be the focal point of Buffalo’s ground game for the immediate future, but his presence, to some, isn’t enough to lift an otherwise underwhelming Buffalo backfield; Pro Football Focus writer Trevor Sikkema recently penned an article ranking each NFL backfield, slotting the Bills in at 21st despite Cook’s recent success.
“Cook finished fourth in 2023 in total rushing yards (1,122) and 17th in PFF wins above average (0.13),” Sikkema wrote. “He has maintained healthy yards per carry averages, above 4.5, in each of the past two seasons, too. Behind him on the depth chart are unknowns. Ty Johnson has never eclipsed more than 300 yards in a single season, and Ray Davis is a rookie. If Cook can repeat his explosiveness in 2024, the Bills will finish the season higher than this.”
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This rationale seems a bit inconsistent—if Buffalo will ultimately rank higher if Cook can ‘again do what he’s already done,’ why isn’t the team ranked higher now? It’s true that Davis and Johnson are relative unknowns, but the rookie is coming off a 2023 season at Kentucky in which he tallied 1,129 rushing yards and 21 total touchdowns. Johnson also showed juice down the stretch of the 2023 campaign; it’s fair if the two, on paper, don’t necessarily move the needle for some, but there are justifiable reasons for optimism.
While not necessarily something that would’ve been noted in an article ranking NFL backfields, it’s impossible to discuss the prowess of Buffalo’s rushing attack without mentioning quarterback Josh Allen. The signal-caller is one of the league’s most dynamic players, his ability on the ground just another skill in his seemingly never-ending arsenal; he notched 524 rushing yards and 15 scores on the ground last season, finishing second on the team in rushing yards.
Placing Buffalo at 21st on this list isn’t necessarily egregious, but it does, on the surface, seem just a tad low. Cook—as Sikkema writes—will attempt to drag the Bills further up the ranking throughout the 2024 campaign with another stellar outing.
