With Bryan Cook likely departing for free agency, the Kansas City Chiefs have to find his replacement. While the NFL Draft could be an option for the Chiefs, there are some high quality safties that will hit the market on Monday.
Jalen Thompson (Arizona Cardinals)
He is a 5’11”, 190-pound safety who spent 7 seasons in the NFL with the Cardinals. This year, he played 15 games, 95 total tackles, 58 solo tackles, 37 assist tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and 9 pass defended. Throughout his career, he played 99 games, 578 total tackles, 397 solo tackles, 181 assist tackles, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 9 interceptions, and 37 pass deflections. He brings elite tackling, run support, and high volume to production.
Some of his weaknesses are his size in run support, sometimes he can be overpowered by his size, and also his injury history; he missed games in 2023 and 2025 due to hamstring injuries. I would expect him to sign a 3-year, $ 25-28 million contract.
Nick Cross (Indianapolis Colts)
He is a 6’0”, 212-pound safety who spent 4 seasons in the NFL with the Colts. This year, he played 17 games, recorded 120 total tackles, 72 solo tackles, 48 assisted tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 interception. Throughout his career, he played 67 games, 322 total tackles, 194 solo tackles, 128 assist tackles, 3.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 5 interceptions.
Some of his strengths are that he is an excellent run defender, he shows a high effort mindset, no breaks, all gas, and he has solid coverage ability. He struggles with inconsistent tackling technique and is slow to react to pass plays and run plays. I would expect him to get a 3-year, $ 32-36 million.
Jaquan Brisker (Chicago Bears)
He is a 6’1”, 204-pound safety who spent 4 seasons in the NFL with the Bears. This year, he played for 17 games, 93 total tackles, 52 solo tackles, 41 assist tackles, 1 sack, and 1 interception. Throughout the seasons, he played 52 games, recorded 342 total tackles, 214 solo tackles, 128 assists, 7 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 4 interceptions, and 21 pass deflections.
He has an elite ability to play in the box and strong tackling skills, with good pass-rushing skills. He is a violent hitter, and he can line up man coverage against a tight end. Since he is a violent hitter who loves to hit his downside, he will miss some easy tackles or must be tackled. Sometimes during the run, he will be too aggressive and shoot into the wrong gap. I would expect him to sign a 3 year 35-40 million.
Reed Blankenship (Philadelphia Eagles)
He is a 6’1”, 203-pound safety who spent 4 years in the NFL with the Eagles. This year, he played 16 games, 83 total tackles, 53 solo tackles, 30 assist tackles, 1 forced fumble,1 interception, and 4 pass defended. Throughout his career, he played 56 games, 308 total tackles, 204 solo tackles, 104 assist tackles, 1 forced fumble, 9 interceptions, and 28 pass defended.
While watching film, he is a strong run-defense safety with solid tackling. He has high motor safety and is a leader on and off the field. He is noticed for his situational awareness in the red zone or short-yardage situations. He struggled in man-to-man match coverage, and fast wide receivers will burn him at times. He is a good safety, but he has not yet become an excellent one. Maybe a new change of scenery will help him out. I would expect him to sign a 3-year, $ 18- $ 22 million.
