Commanders, Cowboys need to follow Bills' lead and pay their stars

On Wednesday, the Buffalo Bills found a place of compromise and paid their star running back. Now, they can resume their pursuit of a championship that ended in the conference championship game last season.

James Cook didn’t get the $15 million a year he was apparently seeking, but he did settle on a reported four-year, $48 million extension with $30 million guaranteed that ranks sixth among running backs in average annual value. That was likely more than what the Bills wanted to shell out for a running back who doesn’t pass block, but what choice did they have?

Buffalo’s chance to strike is now, and that can’t happen without Cook, whose 16 rushing touchdowns last season tied for the NFL lead. He’s a perfect compliment to Josh Allen in a Bills offense short on proven playmakers outside the numbers. So, the Bills did what they had to do… even at a position that isn’t considered much of a premium.

A few other teams can take notes.

"I wanna put my shades on." - @thegreat__4 😎#GoBills | #BillsMafiapic.twitter.com/KXTUPPxgvC

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) August 13, 2025

The Washington Commanders, in particular, need to get Terry McLaurin back on the field. The sides have been at an impasse in negotiations, prompting the wide receiver to request a trade. But after enjoying their best season in 33 years, the Commanders would be foolish to let him go. Losing McLaurin would be disastrous for the development of second-year signal-caller Jayden Daniels, a dagger to the heart of a fanbase that loves McLaurin, and a death blow to an offense with no other proven playmakers capable of stretching the field.

If the Commanders want to build on last year’s success, they need McLaurin, even if it means overpaying a bit for a 30-year-old receiver.

For the Dallas Cowboys, paying Micah Parsons should be a much easier decision. And yet, they pushed him into his own trade demand by being stingy with a player who’s racked up double-digit sacks in each of his first four years. Any other team would hand over a blank check for a 26-year-old edge rusher in his prime.

Likewise, the Cincinnati Bengals have no leverage in their negotiations with Trey Hendrickson. They had one of the NFL's worst defenses even with the help of his 17.5 sacks. How much worse will they be without him? Are they actually willing to find out the answer to that question when Joe Burrow is on the other side of the ball doing all he can to win games?

Like Buffalo, the Cowboys, Commanders and Bengals believe themselves to be playing for a Super Bowl in 2025. But none have a shot at reaching that goal without these star players around to contribute. They need to follow Buffalo's lead and find some middle ground fast. Playing hardball isn’t helping anybody.

No one (wo)man should have all that power

I’m sorry Miss Swift, I wasn’t familiar with your game. At least not completely.

Don’t get me wrong, I knew Taylor Swift was a big deal – I work for a website that has extensively covered her every move since she started dating Travis Kelce after all. I’ve seen the traffic numbers… for us, for the NFL, for everyone. She moves needles.

On Wednesday, though, she really flexed her muscles.

Swift's appearance on the New Heights podcast broke YouTube. Alongside her tight end boyfriend and his brother Jason -- who drew great praise for the interview -- Swift's episode went dark after about 1 hour, 45 minutes with 1.3 million concurrent viewers. Swifties showed up to get an early peek at her new album and a rare glimpse of her and Kelce in a more intimate setting. Travis and Jason’s regulars were likely there too. It all came together to help the episode become New Heights’ all-time most-viewed show on YouTube in just 12 hours. Today, it’s at more than 10 million views and counting. 

FINISH THE EPISODE:Swift's last 20 minutes on New Heights

That is a whole lot of pull for one person. A great responsibility. A power to be wielded with extreme caution. She does it well.

Quick Hits: Q&A with Azzi Fudd ... Pulisic sounds off ... and more

• Meg Hall chatted it up with UConn star Azzi Fudd. Make sure you tap into that interview here.
• Christian Pulisic doesn't appreciate ex-USMNT stars bashing the current squad. Here's Andrew Joseph with more on that.
• Don't look now but the Brewers are ROLLING. Their 12th straight win had fans fired up for free food.
• Ashton Jeanty is the top rookie in fantasy football. Charles Curtis has you covered with rankings for every other rookie after him.

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This article originally appeared on For The Win: Commanders, Cowboys need to follow Bills' lead and pay their stars