Vikings CB Chris Cook looking for breakout year

Vikings CB Chris Cook has been quietly efficient in training camp. His has played well in practice and is waiting to be medically cleared to play after sustaining a concussion against the Bills.

By Joe Oberle

Aug 20, 2012 at 3:07 pm ET • 2 min read

CB Chris Cook returned to the team this year after a tumultuous year in which he played in only six games due to an off the field issue, and since his return, he has been trying to rebuild his career that really has yet to take off.

Now in his third season with the Vikings, Cook missed 10 games each of the past two seasons (his rookie years due to two knee injuries) and he is determined to finally fulfill the promise he showed when the Vikings selected him in the second round of 2010.

“He’s still a young corner in terms of experience,” said DC Alan Williams. “Not a bad thing, whatsoever, it just means that he has a great upside. We look to get him as much experience as we can. He has a big upside, he’s fast, he’s tall, and had a nice strip in the ballgame. So he is coming along as we think he should. We’re just waiting to see how high that ceiling is.”

Cook missed the bulk of the 2011 season dealing with two charges of felony assault (for which he was exonerated), and when he returned, his coach Leslie Frazier said that Cook would not only have to get back up to speed playing football, but he also had to win back the trust of his teammates. So far, his fellow cornerback Antoine Winfield said Cook has made strides to do that.

“Since he’s been back, he’s been working, watching the film, doing what the coaches are asking him to do, being on time to meetings, doing all the right things,” Winfield. said “Once he’s on the field, he’s playing good ball for us right now.”

Cook is having a good training camp, but he knows he has plenty of work to do.

“There’s room for improvement,” said Cook. “I have been happy with the way I have been performing, (but) I feel like I can be better. I can always learn more, whether it can be about myself or about the game.”

Cook is currently on the sidelines learning again, after suffering a concussion in the second preseason game against Buffalo. He is waiting anxiously to be cleared by the training staff to get back on the field, because he knows how tough it is not to be playing.

“That was one of the toughest things to deal with -- to not be able to play and (have to) watch my teammates and guys I have put in time with in practice go out there and play without me,” Cook said.