The Kansas City Chiefs are building their secondary with young talent to elevate their up-and-coming defense. One of the many players involved in the Chiefs’ defensive youth movement is second-year safety Bryan Cook, who is focused on becoming a leader for the unit in 2023.
Cook spoke with reporters after Friday’s training camp practice, providing plenty of encouragement for his teammates and laying out his plans to mentor the younger crowd in the Chiefs’ secondary.
“I’m just in a different mindset right now,” He explained. “I’m just trying to get my guys to understand what we plan on every down as much as possible, that’s where my head is at. When the pads go on, when the crowd comes up, and when the first game comes to the present, then it’ll be a whole different situation. But right now, I’m just focused on getting the guys in the right position, playing fast, understanding what Coach wants me to do, and working on the details before I get into the season.”
Cook would go on to elaborate on the meaning of his “my guys” remark in regard to his young cohorts in the Chiefs’ secondary and the action he intends to take to ensure that the unit continues to progress through training camp.
“[They are] my guys regardless. Even last year they were still my guys,” Cook said. “Because at the end of the day [at] the position of safety my [objective] is to get everyone lined up and ready to play. Honestly speaking, I’m the last line of defense, so if I’m confused back there and I don’t know what’s going on that’s a very big problem, especially for the guys in front of me. So my objective is to be as confident [and] as ready as I can be.”
Cook’s growth since the Chiefs’ 2022 campaign bodes well for the secondary’s trajectory and signals a positive outlook for the unit’s development heading into the new season.
