Bryan Cook is about to cash in and the Chiefs might not be the ones paying

Bryan Cook is going to get paid. Whether or not, he'll be the outlier by staying in Kansas City is the bigger question.

As Cook comes into his fourth NFL season, the former second-round pick of the Chiefs is ready to build on his most successful season. The great Taylor Perez popularized the phrase "the contract year is undefeated," and Cook is stepping into his own chance to solidify a payday.

Next spring, Cook will hit free agency after completing his rookie deal with the Chiefs, but the spotlight hasn't exactly been on him in the lead-up to the season. Trent McDuffie is the star of the secondary and ready for an extension, while several others will be hitting the market at the same time—names that include Jaylen Watson, Nazeeh Johnson, and Joshua Williams.

While the Chiefs are undoubtedly going to retain McDuffie any way they can, it also wouldn't be surprising to see them offer Watson a chance to stick around at the right price. However, with Cook, it's hard to tell if the Chiefs will make any real overture to keep him given the track record with other safeties.

Bryan Cook is primed for a payday, but history says the Chiefs might let him walk like they have before at safety.

Cook has seen this scenario play out first-hand a number of times. During his rookie campaign, Cook largely sat behind Justin Reid and Juan Thornhill in an understudy role. Thornhill was allowed to leave in free agency (a three-year deal to the Cleveland Browns), and Cook stepped in opposite Reid in '23.

For each of the last two seasons, Cook and Reid have been the Chiefs' starting safeties, but once Reid completed his three-year deal, he departed for a homecoming with the New Orleans Saints near his Louisiana home.

Last year, former fourth-round pick Jaden Hicks was placed in a similar role as Cook during his rookie season as the green first-year safety slotted into a sub package role. He should follow in Cook's shoes in 2025 while ascending to a starting role (in Reid's place), giving the Chiefs yet another new face at safety.

The good news for Cook is that he proved he can be a reliable leader last season after completing his first 17-start season. While Cook became a starter in 2023, he was lost to injury for five games. Last season, Cook set career marks in almost every category, including tackles (78), pass deflections (5), and interceptions (2).

It also helps Cook's stock to bring such a versatile skill set to the table. The Chiefs had no problem leaning on Cook in the box (322 snaps), in the slot (133 snaps), or at free safety (626 snaps). Cook also offers special teams acumen and, of course, plenty of championship experience as well.

What does all of this mean for Cook? It's hard to say—at least from the Chiefs' perspective. Much of this might depend on how Chamarri Conner fares in his third season along with Hicks' development into a potential starter. The loss of Reid's leadership might prove tougher to fill than expected, and the Chiefs have brought in familiar vets like Mike Edwards and Deon Bush to provide some security.

In that sense, Cook will have a clear runway to make an impact once again. He's already headed toward a decent payday in free agency, but whether he can convince the Chiefs to bring him back for a second contract remains to be seen.