The Minnesota Vikings just got a little bit of clarity regarding their cornerback position, which is seen as an area of concern heading into the 2012 NFL season. The clarity comes in the form of cornerback Chris Cook and his assault trial, which just wrapped up in Hennepin County. According to the Star Tribune, Cook was found not guilty on all counts in said trial, in which he was charged with felony domestic assault by strangulation and third-degree assault.
After about six days total in the courtroom, the jury handed down the verdict. It's definitely positive news for the Vikings, but that doesn't mean Cook's future in the NFL is set in stone. The charges of brutally choking his girlfriend, Chantel Baker, are serious, though Cook claimed that everything that happened (which apparently did not include choking, according to Baker's official testimony) was all in self defense.
Regarding all of this, the NFL has been pretty quiet. Cook ended the 2011 season suspended with pay and has not technically been re-instated, and the Vikings organization has not said much regarding the incident. They immediately looked for help at the position near the end of the 2011 season and have not made publicly made a decision regarding whether or not Cook will be brought back, even with the verdict of not guilty.
Either way, Cook is signed through 2013 and is just 25 years-old, with a lot of potential, by all accounts. It's pretty unquestionable that Cook has value at the position, especially for the Vikings, but everything is still up in the air.
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