Last Sunday, when Cleveland Browns practice squad RB Jamaine Cook heard the team had fired head coach Rob Chudzinski, he had two thoughts.
The first: “Wow, this is surreal.”
The second: “I’ve been through this before.”
And to Cook, a former standout at Youngstown State, starting over with a new coaching staff isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
“I went through the same thing my first year at YSU,” Cook said. “All the coaches got fired and they started over again with Coach [Eric] Wolford. I kind of like that situation.
“I know for sure that Chud [Chudzinski] liked me as a player but I still have a good opportunity,” Cook said. “With new coaches, there’s no politics or favorites. They’re seeing all the players the first time. Hopefully they’ll say, ‘This kid can really help our offense.’”
Cook originally signed with the Browns as an undrafted free agent following April’s draft but was cut a few weeks later.
He re-signed in mid-August, played two preseason games and was released on cut-down day.
Two months later, in late October, he was signed to the Browns’ practice squad, where he stayed for the final 10 weeks while juggling four classes at YSU.
“The biggest question for guys when they get to the NFL is, ‘Can I play at this level?’” Cook said. “Once you get over that, the players may be a little bigger and a little faster but I was like, ‘I know I can do this.’
“I went against the No. 1 defense every day [as the scout team running back] and I had veteran players coming up to me and saying, ‘Man, Jamaine, you can play.’
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“I knew if I was making plays against them, that means I can play in this league.”
The Browns agreed. On Thursday, Cleveland signed Cook to a reserve/futures contract, which allows teams to lock up players not on the active roster in order to get them into their offseason training program.
Cook also passed his four classes and plans to take three or four more in the spring semester as he works toward his accounting degree.
“It was hard in the fall but my teachers worked with me and allowed me to come in once a week and do stuff over the Internet,” Cook said. “It wasn’t necessarily the As I wanted, but I made it through the NFL season as a full-time student I don’t think too many people can say that.”
Cook’s playing weight at YSU was around 215 pounds — he needed the extra weight to absorb the pounding that comes from having 791 carries over his last three years — but he was just over 205 with the Browns, making him quicker and leaner.
“Even though I was successful at YSU, it’s easier to stay fresh if you’re taking 35 snaps a game instead of 70,” Cook said. “In college, I was a first, second, third and fourth down back. In the NFL, it’s sort of back-by-committee, so it opens up opportunities for a lot of players. All you have to do is be in the top three.”
Cook plans to take a couple weeks off from training to rest his body and said he’ll do many of his offseason workouts at YSU. He knows he’s already beaten long odds to survive this far in the NFL and doesn’t plan to change his approach.
“I’m going to train as if I’m coming out [for the draft],” he said. “I’ve got to show up and take care of business, because the opportunity is short and I plan to make the most of it.”
