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Winnipeg is without its star in net.

Harrison Smith looked set to retire as he left the field on the final game of the 2025 season. There was a planned moment for teammates and fans alike to show their appreciation to the “Hitman”. An official retirement announcement has yet to come, but finding Smith’s successor is a major priority for the Minnesota Vikings.

Whether he decides to go again for another year or the expected retirement finally comes, the Vikings still need to find his long-term successor. Josh Metellus carved out a kind of hybrid role on Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ defense. He is better suited to that role and should remain in it for the Vikings to get the best out of him.

Bryan Cook’s Skill Set Aligns with Flores’ Defensive Structure

That leaves the Vikings looking for someone to team with Metellus, and there are two obvious places to look. Free agency or the draft, Pro Football Focus thinks they have the perfect answer in Bryan Cook.

A two-time Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs, Cook has played four seasons with the Chiefs since being drafted in the second round of the 2022 draft. His rookie contract is finished, and Cook will be looking to cash in on a good four years in the league.

What Can Cook Bring to Minnesota?

Cook comes from an aggressive, blitz-heavy scheme that also deploys unique blitz packages in Steve Spagnuolo’s Kansas City defense. So he should smoothly transition into the Brian Flores defense in Minnesota. Most importantly, Cook has played particularly well in coverage when the Chiefs’ defense blitzes, something the Vikings have had problems with in their secondary.

Pro Football Focus names Minnesota a top landing spot for Cook, a perfect fit, and a place where he can become the successor to Smith. Here is what PFF had to say in a recent article.

There are nuances to playing solid coverage behind an aggressive defensive front, and Bryan Cook showed he is well-equipped to handle the role this past season, earning an 80.3 PFF coverage grade when the defense blitzes.

Grading out above the 90th percentile as both a safety and in the slot, Cook also possesses the versatility to be a central piece that allows Flores’ scheme to shine. His skill set is in a similar vein to that of the longtime veteran leader of the Vikings’ defense, and impending free agent, Harrison Smith.  

Cook is arguably the best safety available in free agency this year — Kamren Curl is the other top safety available — and won’t come cheap. Minnesota has work to do to get its salary cap in a place where this deal could get done. It would be worth doing for a player who should fit seamlessly into the team and improve it.

Cook turns 27 as the 2026 season begins, so he has plenty of football ahead of him, making him a long-term investment for the team if the Vikings make this move.