Bears Safety Coby Bryant Out 4-6 Months After Knee Surgery
Coach Ben Johnson said the free-agent signing, who agreed to a three-year, $40 million deal this offseason, had surgery Friday on his left knee.
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Chicago Bears safety Coby Bryant will miss four to six months after undergoing surgery on his injured left knee, coach Ben Johnson said Tuesday.
Bryant, who signed a three-year, $40 million contract as a free agent this offseason, had been expected to be a central piece of a rebuilt Chicago secondary. Johnson said the surgery took place Friday but did not disclose details of the injury, and he did not rule out a return this season.
"I got to see him today," Johnson said. "He's going to be in a hurry to get back to help us out there at the end of the year."
Bryant was hurt at practice on Aug. 3. ESPN initially reported he could miss eight to 10 weeks, a timeline the team never confirmed.
Chicago allowed All-Pro safety Kevin Byard to leave for Buffalo in free agency and signed Bryant, who spent four years with the Seattle Seahawks and started at free safety for last season's Super Bowl-winning team.
"Coby is the template for how we all want our team to play," Johnson said. "He was a big part of offense, defense and special teams, the mentality, the mindset, his approach. We loved everything about him." He added that the injury "certainly takes us back a little bit but it also provides opportunity for other guys to fill that void."
Former Dallas and Tennessee safety Xavier Woods, signed last week, stepped in immediately as Bryant's replacement and intercepted quarterback Caleb Williams in his first full practice. "He's a veteran player, he's played a lot of football, been in a few different schemes," defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said. Woods played under Bears defensive backs coach Al Harris in Dallas early in his career.
The Bears are managing several less serious injuries ahead of Saturday's preseason opener against Cleveland. Wide receiver Luther Burden has a groin injury and will miss the rest of training camp and the preseason but is expected back for the regular season. Left tackle Ozzy Trapilo, who injured his patellar tendon in a January playoff win over Green Bay, is progressing well and could return to practice by the end of the preseason.
Defensive end Montez Sweat, left tackle Braxton Jones, Cam Lewis and Elijah Hicks have not practiced; all but Hicks are day-to-day. Slot cornerback Kyler Gordon remains on the physically unable to perform list with a calf injury. Rookie fourth-round pick Malik Muhammad continues to work in the slot with the starters.
This article was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI), in accordance with our editorial policy.
