The Chicago Bears continued reshaping Dennis Allen’s defense by signing former Seattle Seahawks safety Coby Bryant to a three-year deal after his key role in Seattle’s Super Bowl LX championship run.
The Chicago Bears have made another addition to Dennis Allen’s defense in free agency.
Earlier, Chicago bolstered the interior of its defensive line by signing Neville Gallimore as a replacement for Andrew Billings. Now the Bears have turned their attention to the secondary, agreeing to terms on a three-year contract with safety Coby Bryant.
Bryant, 26, was originally selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. After spending his first few seasons working his way into a larger role, Bryant emerged as a full-time starter during Seattle’s championship run in 2025.
The veteran defensive back started 15 games at safety for the Seahawks last season and was a key contributor on a defense that powered Seattle to a victory in Super Bowl LX. Bryant’s durability and versatility were particularly valuable to that unit.
Over the course of the regular season and postseason combined, he led the Seahawks’ defense with 1,163 snaps played.
Bryant has developed a reputation as a playmaker in the secondary, particularly over the past two seasons. During that stretch, he has recorded seven interceptions while consistently disrupting opposing passing attacks.
Across 34 career starts, Bryant has totaled seven forced fumbles and 17 passes defended, highlighting his ability to create turnovers and swing the momentum of a game.
Beyond his ball skills, Bryant has also proven to be an effective presence against the run. His physicality and willingness to play downhill make him a natural fit in Dennis Allen’s defensive scheme, which places a premium on safeties who can support the run while still holding up in coverage responsibilities.
The financial commitment from Chicago underscores how highly the organization views Bryant’s skill set. The three-year deal is worth $40 million, representing a sizable investment and taking up a meaningful portion of the Bears’ remaining salary cap space.
With Bryant now in the fold, attention immediately turns to the rest of Chicago’s safety room and how the position will ultimately shake out.
Both of the Bears’ starting safeties from the 2025 season—Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker—entered the offseason as unrestricted free agents.
For months, the expectation around the league has been that Brisker would test the open market and likely land a lucrative deal elsewhere. Byard’s situation, however, is a bit more complicated.
The veteran safety has been vocal about his interest in returning to Chicago, and the Bears have also expressed openness to a reunion. Whether that possibility remains realistic after committing significant cap space to Bryant remains to be seen.
If Chicago is able to bring Byard back, Bryant would likely slot into a starting role alongside the experienced veteran, giving the Bears a versatile and playmaking safety duo in Allen’s defense. If not, Bryant could be stepping directly into a leadership role in the secondary as the Bears continue reshaping their defense for the 2026 season.
Either way, the addition of Bryant represents another clear step in Chicago’s effort to build a faster, more aggressive defense under Allen’s leadership.