Chicago Bears safety Coby Bryant sustained a hyperextended knee, bone bruise and small fracture during a one-on-one drill at training camp Monday. He was carted off the field and is expected to miss 8-10 weeks. The team does not anticipate he will require surgical intervention.
Bryant, 27, was signed by the Bears to a three-year, $40 million contract this offseason after playing for the Seahawks. The move was intended to strengthen the secondary alongside free agent signings Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker, though both those players ultimately signed elsewhere—Byard with the Patriots and Brisker with the Steelers. A fourth-round pick from Cincinnati in 2022, Bryant transitioned from cornerback to safety when Mike Macdonald joined Seattle in 2024, where he thrived. Over the past two seasons, he recorded seven interceptions, 139 tackles, 13 passes defended, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery across regular season and playoff action.
The injury creates multiple challenges for Chicago’s secondary. Safety Elijah Hicks is on the physically unable to perform list due to a shin injury, and cornerback Kyler Gordon remains sidelined with a calf issue that has persisted throughout the offseason. Additionally, cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson joined the Bills in free agency. The Bears drafted Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman 25th overall in April, who is likely to secure a starting position, with Cam Lewis potentially filling Bryant’s role early in the season. The Bears open their 2026 season less than six weeks away against the Panthers, which falls within Bryant’s recovery window.
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