Bears safety Coby Bryant to miss
four to six months after knee surgery
[August 12, 2026]
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Chicago Bears safety Coby Bryant will miss
four to six months after he had surgery on his injured left knee,
coach Ben Johnson said Tuesday.
Bryant, signed to a $40 million, three-year deal as a free agent
this offseason, was expected to be an important part of a revamped
Chicago secondary.
Johnson said Bryant had surgery Friday without disclosing details of
the injury. He did not rule out the possibility that Bryant would
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 that
he could miss eight to 10 weeks, but the team never confirmed that
timeline.
Chicago let All-Pro safety Kevin Byard leave for Buffalo in free
agency and signed Bryant, who spent four years with the Seattle
Seahawks. He was the starting free safety for last year's Super
Bowl-winning squad.
“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.
“It certainly takes us back a little bit but it also provides
opportunity for other guys to fill that void and it might be guys we
hope to prod along a little bit.”
Former Dallas and Tennessee safety Xavier Woods was signed last week
and immediately went in as a replacement for Bryant. He 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. “He’s
been a productive player.”
Woods played for Bears defensive backs coach Al Harris in Dallas at
the start of his career.
“So there’s some familiarity there with him,” Allen said. “And, I
just think, right now, we needed another veteran piece back there in
the back end, specifically at the safety position.”
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Chicago Bears defensive back Coby Bryant speaks during news
conference at the team's NFL football training camp, Wednesday, July
29, 2026, in Lake Forest, Ill. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Several other Bears players are banged up
The news about Bryant comes as the Bears deal with several less
serious injuries. Chicago is preparing to host Cleveland on Saturday
in its first preseason game.
Wide receiver Luther Burden suffered a groin injury last week and
Johnson said he’ll miss the rest of training camp and the preseason,
but will return for the start of the regular season.
Johnson also updated the injury status of starting left tackle Ozzy
Trapilo, who suffered a patellar tendon injury last January in a
playoff victory over Green Bay. Trapilo is progressing well, and
Johnson wouldn’t rule out his return to practice by the end of
preseason.
The Bears have been practicing without defensive end Montez Sweat,
left tackle Braxton Jones, backup safety/cornerback Cam Lewis and
backup safety Elijah Hicks. All of those injuries except for Hicks
are considered day-to-day. Starting slot cornerback Kyler Gordon
remains on the physically unable to perform list after a calf injury
before training camp.
The Bears turned to rookie fourth-round pick Malik Muhammad in the
slot last week and he continues to work with the starters in that
role.
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