Rising safety Bryan Cook could command a massive payday, potentially exceeding $56 million. His impressive performance makes him a top free agent target.
The Kansas City Chiefs are patiently waiting to see what the future holds for tight end Travis Kelce. But, before that, the Chiefs traded away star cornerback Trent McDuffie, sending him to the Los Angeles Rams in a big move. The Chiefs have other questions and free agents, and some big names are set to hit the market.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network listed 10 free agents who could be in line for a big payday. The Chiefs had one player on the list: Safety Bryan Cook. And, that could mean Cook plays somewhere else in 2026 as the Chiefs have other questions to answer.
Here's what Pelissero wrote about Cook:
"Cook probably should be a bigger name, given his two Super Bowl rings, but he quietly has developed into a top safety. Last season, Pro Football Focus gave him an 83.5 overall grade (fifth-highest among DBs with a minimum of 500 snaps) and 83.2 coverage grade (sixth). It’s a packed free-agent safety class at the position."
Some other big-name safeties this free agency period include Kevin Byard (NFL INT leader in 2025), Reed Blankenship, Coby Bryant, Kamren Curl and Jalen Thompson.
However, Pelissero said that Cook might earn the biggest contract of all of them, which shows how well he has done in Kansas City.
Cook was selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft after playing college football for the Cincinnati Bearcats. In four seasons, he has played 62 regular-season games with 153 solo tackles, three interceptions and a sack, so Cook is a versatile player who could command some cash this offseason.
If Cook leaves, the Chiefs have plenty of options available in the NFL Draft, and some of them were listed here.
According to Spotrac's market value projection, Cook is estimated at a four-year deal worth just over $56 million, putting him at $14 million+ per season, which is about what Pelissero predicted ($15 million per year).
Cook was selected with one of the draft picks the Chiefs received from the Tyreek Hill blockbuster deal with the Miami Dolphins, and he has been a big part of the defense since then.
The issue in Kansas City is that the franchise has plenty of questions and the cap space situation isn't exactly favorable, so Cook might not be able to return unless he takes a lower contract than he might receive in the open market.
Free agency begins soon, and Cook's phone should be ringing a lot.