The Denver Broncos are widely expected to take a running back in the 2025 NFL Draft. General manager George Paton basically confirmed that much.
However, in the NFL, all options must always be considered and one option that could be starting to materialize is the Buffalo Bills trading their No. 1 running back, James Cook. The 25-year-old running back is looking for a new contract but recent reports indicate that the Bills are in no hurry to fulfill that desire.
That situation could see the Bills move on from him and take what the highest bidder is willing to give. Matthew Sullivan of Athlon Sports sees the Broncos in that mix.
"In this trade pitch, the Broncos swing a deal for Pro-Bowl running back James Cook from the Bills. Cook is just 25 years old and entering his fourth NFL season. The cost would likely be a day-three selection in the NFL Draft, as the trade value of running backs isn't very high.
A huge factor in why this move could work for Denver is due to Bo Nix. He's on a rookie contract, which leaves a significant amount of money available to add players. Denver could spend some money on a Pro-Bowl running back due to Nix not taking up a large portion of the cap space", wrote Sullivan.
If the Broncos could get Cook for a day-three draft pick, as Sullivan theorizes, they should jump all over it if this opportunity were to present itself. As Sullivan points out, the Broncos have money available due to Bo Nix still being on his rookie deal and they could potentially give Cook what he's looking for.
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Cook is coming off a huge season in which he rushed for over 1,000 yards and scored 16 touchdowns on the ground. He's a capable runner between the tackles and he can break runs off the outside as well as contribute at a high level in the passing game.
This draft class is filled with solid options and the Broncos could grab one of those even if they did trade for Cook. But in the unlikely event that the Bills opt to shop Cook around, the Broncos should be one of the teams making offers.
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