Entering his first training camp with the Kansas City Chiefs, rookie safety Bryan Cook spent his offseason doing one thing repeatedly to get ready.
“Running, running, running,” Cook said Saturday in St. Joe, Mo. “That was pretty much it. Obviously, the mental part, the NFL it’s definitely 90 percent mental. So I’ve been grabbing the playbook a lot more. I don’t even know how much (running).
“Whether it was track workouts, gassers. Whether it was making sure my body was in the best shape it could be in. I tried to give myself the best opportunity to be ready.”
Cook has made a solid first impression. He forced a fumble during Saturday’s rookie session and has worked with the ones some since full-squad practices began Wednesday.
The Chiefs selected Cook in the second round out of Cincinnati — one of seven defensive players the team picked in this year’s NFL Draft. Cook will be counted on to provide depth and he could see plenty of action as the team has several new faces in the secondary.
Among them is first-round pick cornerback Trent McDuffie. Cook and McDuffie have already formed a bond and Cook said the draft class as a whole is a close-knit group.
“I think everything starts with relationships first,” Cook said. “So I have an understanding with what you’re lacking in a certain aspect and then help with certain things. Everybody doesn’t reach the same way. So being able to reach somebody differently than you reach somebody else helps. And that’s just knowing my teammates.
“So the better I can know my teammates the better I can help them in a situation on a Sunday where we can all stay tight. I think that’s the biggest thing. But things are definitely improving for us, and I’m definitely excited for the future.”
At 6-foot-1 and 206 pounds, Cook has the size the Chiefs like in a defensive back. He’s also a physical player. At Cincinnati last year, Cook was a first-team All-AAC pick and had 96 tackles to go with two interceptions.
And though the Chiefs won’t practice in pads until next week, Cook is already looking forward to doing so.
“I’m excited,” Cook said. “Some things are kind of innate in you. I think that’s a big thing. I’ve been big since I was young so I’m definitely excited for that. But my main focus right now is learning the plays because when the ball snaps I’m going to play how I play regardless.
“But I’m definitely excited for it. It’s a little different between college and the NFL. People out here drive a little different cars. So I’m going to make sure I’m smart with certain things. But I’m excited for it.”
CHIEFS SIGN DE DUNLAP
The Chiefs signed veteran defensive end Carlos Dunlap on Thursday, agreeing to a one-year contract that can reach up to $8 million. Last season with the Seahawks, Dunlap had 8.5 sacks despite starting just two games.
Dunlap, 33, entered the league in 2010 and played parts of 11 seasons for the Bengals, making the Pro Bowl in 2015 and 2016.