Coby Bryant
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SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 10: Coby Bryant #8 of the Seattle Seahawks warms up prior to the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on December 10, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The Chicago Bears turned a lot of heads this offseason when they decided to hand former Seattle Seahawks safety Coby Bryant a massive three-year, $40 million contract at the start of free agency.
Not because he’s a bad player, but because there was a belief that Chicago would re-sign Kevin Byard and look to pair him up with a rookie safety. However, with the signings of guys like Bryant and linebacker Devin Bush, general manager Ryan Poles made it clear he’s looking to bring in guys who have some serious speed.
“We wanted speed and explosiveness,” Poles said. “Guys who are passionate about football. Leadership.”
That’s why he chose to sign Bryant over Byard and Jaquan Brisker.
“That’s what makes this part of this difficult. You have certain plans; there’s guys that you would like to have back and kind of seeing how the landscape set up and you do your research. When we watched Coby’s tape he was a guy that got us excited. Because again, he played our style of ball, he played fast, he played physically. Those are the things that (Dennis Allen) is looking for, that we’re looking for. We thought there was leadership there. He’s young and we had to adapt to that and we had the opportunity to bring a really good player in and that’s the decision that we made.”
With that, Bryant sent a message about joining the Bears.
Coby Bryant Sends a Message on Joining the Bears
Bryant took to X to send his message on joining the Bears.
“Looking forward to being a Chicago Bear! We building something special! Thank you God for it all!”
Bryant, 26, is one of the league’s budding stars at safety, racking up 227 total tackles, two sacks, seven forced fumbles, and seven interceptions in four seasons with the Seahawks.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Bryant allowed the 2nd-lowest passer rating among safeties in 2025 (51.4, min. 25 targets in coverage), and his four interceptions were tied for the 4th-most at the position.
He could end up being one of Poles’ top free-agent signings since taking over as GM back in 2022.
Anthony Cover 1
UFA Safety Coby Bryant
-Quick trigger + range. Covers a lot of ground in an instant
-Explosive & violent into contact
-Plays fast and w/ bad intentions, tenacity, & intensity
-Split field & single high (post or box) capable in coverage and vs the run
More Comments From Bryant
During his introductory press conference in Chicago, Bryant had an opportunity to share more of his thoughts on joining the Bears.
Regarding Caleb Williams reaching out to him: “I feel like that’s special, the quarterback reaching out to a safety, even though in practice I’m definitely going to try to get on him, for sure. Just him reaching out says a lot honestly.” Bryant also knows how elite Williams truly is. “He’s just scratching the surface. Year 3, high expectations, and I expect greatness from him.”
Bryant also thought the Seahawks were going to host the Bears in the NFC title game. “I was actually telling a couple guys and even my family, I honestly thought we were going to play the Bears in the NFC Championship. It didn’t work out that way. But [their success] was a big reason why I came here. I’ve seen the winning culture, the head coach and the coaching staff.”
Finally, Bryant believes defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will bring out the best in his game. “I feel like he’s definitely going to help me utilize my tools and go out there and be the best version of myself.”
Big things are in store for Coby Bryant as he continues to elevate his game with a new team.