![[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Sep 5, 2025; Sao Paulo, BRAZIL; Kansas City Chiefs safety Bryan Cook (6) walks onto the field before a NFL game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Corinthians Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amanda Perobelli/Reuters via Imagn Images](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_279,w_3765,h_2117/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/130/01kk24nkq9a3yvpvc3fd.jpg "[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Sep 5, 2025; Sao Paulo, BRAZIL; Kansas City Chiefs safety Bryan Cook (6) walks onto the field before a NFL game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Corinthians Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amanda Perobelli/Reuters via Imagn Images")
Kansas City Chiefs fans are used to seeing players leave in free agency and this year will be no different. One player set to be a free agent next week is Bryan Cook, the Chiefs' second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, who helped the team win back-to-back Super Bowls in 2022 and 2023.
It won't be surprising if Cook ends up leaving in free agency, even though the Chiefs need major help at the safety position. Dan Graziano of ESPN predicted where key free agents will land this offseason and while he said he thinks the Chiefs will try to retain Cook, he ultimately had the former Cincinnati Bearcat signing with the Houston Texans on a three-year deal worth $42 million and $20 million guaranteed.
"Another graduate of the Steve Spagnuolo Academy, Cook hits the market at 26 and with high-level playoff experience on his résumé. After he had 85 tackles for them last season, the Chiefs will try to keep him but might not offer enough."
Bryan Cook predicted to leave for Texans in free agency
If Cook did end up in Houston, it'd be a nice landing spot for him. The Texans are a playoff-caliber team and had one of the best defenses in the NFL a season ago. Cook would go to a contending team where he'd play a pretty big role and that contract would be a nice payday for him.
As for the Chiefs, losing Cook would be another hefty hit to their safety room, which was already an underperforming unit a season ago. Safety will undoubtedly be a focal point for Brett Veach this offseason but, as Graziano noted, it might be hard for K.C. to afford to pay Cook what another team can.
The Chiefs will hopefully revamp the majority of their secondary after losing Trent McDuffie via trade and potentially Cook and Jaylen Watson as well. Fortunately, they have Steve Spagunolo at the helm defensively and there are still promising pieces to look forward to, like Nohl Williams.
Losing Cook would be unfortunate and seeing him succeed with an AFC foe would also be annoying but that's the nature of the business. It wouldn't be the first time this happened and it certainly won't be the last either.