Chris Cook article

[Mothman]

http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Chri ... gle+Reader

Chris Cook knows exactly what he'll tell Xavier Rhodes if the rookie asks for advice about handling the big, talented receivers the Minnesota Vikings face twice a year in the NFC North Division.

"Just let me handle them," Cook said this past week in an interview on 1500 ESPN.

Cook laughed after he said it, but he wasn't entirely joking.

Though he has struggled to stay on the field in his three NFL seasons, Cook has rare physical traits (6-foot-2, 212 pounds, 32½-inch arms) for the position and has had some of his brightest moments against the likes of Detroit star Calvin Johnson.

Now, entering the last year of his rookie contract at age 26, Cook knows the value of his next deal will depend on whether he stays healthy -- and whether he can consistently make an impact against opponents' top receivers.

[jackal]

hoping Cook has a great year ..

some of the off field stuff slowed his progress a little, but he has stayed out of trouble and
I think learned from it. Its hard to remember these guys are kids, basically.. Its good to see
them learn from mistakes and progress

[mansquatch]

The biggest issue with Cook IMO is his durability. He had leg injuries his first year and a broken arm last season. 2011 was the legal mess. His durability is probably one of the bigger injury risks for the club in terms of our ability to go deep into the post season. (In terms of likelihood of getting hurt, obviously if #28 or #7 go down we are in trouble) There is big drop in talent beyond AJ Jefferson on the depth chart.

[NextQuestion]

"Let me handle them with my zero interception stat sheet".

[woodlandwiz]

I see this season as a breakout year for him, especially after getting a full year's experience under his belt last year.

[dead_poet]

"Let me handle them with my zero interception stat sheet".

Some of the best corners can have mediocre stats due to QBs looking elsewhere to throw. Not saying Cook is Revis, but sometimes a modest stat sheet is actually a good thing.

[mondry]

Some of the best corners can have mediocre stats due to QBs looking elsewhere to throw. Not saying Cook is Revis, but sometimes a modest stat sheet is actually a good thing.

Not really the job of a big CB anyway. The guy's who make picks are in the Asante Samuel and Woodson mold, they're smaller but quicker and more agile, can break on the ball to step in front of routes. Big CB's to me are better suited to break up passes and get deflections with their longer frames.

[PacificNorseWest]

I feel good about Cook this year.

[MrPurplenGold]

Not really the job of a big CB anyway. The guy's who make picks are in the Asante Samuel and Woodson mold, they're smaller but quicker and more agile, can break on the ball to step in front of routes. Big CB's to me are better suited to break up passes and get deflections with their longer frames.

Not completely true. Sherman had 8 Ints and Patrick Peterson had 7 and they are 6'3" and 6'1" respectively.

[NextQuestion]

So Cook's ZERO interception stat line in 3 years is acceptable? Dude needs to make plays other than sometimes swatting the ball away. He's not even that great of a tackler.

[Funkytown]

So Cook's ZERO interception stat line in 3 years is acceptable? Dude needs to make plays other than sometimes swatting the ball away. He's not even that great of a tackler.

...not exactly acceptable, but we do have to accept it. I like Cook. He used to frustrate me a lot, but he's grown on me. But, yes, he has to play better--and he also needs to find a way to stay on the field. I'd have a better sense of who he is--and who he could be--if he could actually stay healthy and active on Sundays!

[PurpleKoolaid]

Cook can basically do 1 thing a little beeter then the average CB (well more like below average to me...im not a big Cook fan though) and that match up well against the bigger WR. But he flat out sucks at 2 things. Staying healthy and making an INT. I think the rookie will be teaching Cook vrs the other way around.

[King James]

I dont care about him not getting INTs. He's not a WR who primary goal isn't catching the ball. But he is great at keeping the ball away from big defenders like Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald.

[NextQuestion]

I'm not really buying the whole "good CBs don't make picks" take at all. People say that about Revis and they said it about Nnamdi too. Nnamdi wasn't thrown on because he was elite and Oakland's secondary, other than him, was truly awful. Richard Sherman had like 8 last year and he was the league's best DB

[VikingLord]

I think Cook still has some growing up to do, quite honestly. He's done nothing to suggest he can consistently "handle" anything. He's been inconsistent both on and off the field, and if I were him I would be hesitant to hold myself out as any reference for what to do or not do as a pro.

Cook's potential is still high, however, and hopefully in a contract year the guy will come out and show he can play to that potential and stay on the field. Until then, if I'm Xavier Rhodes I'd look elsewhere for guidance.