Bears get a much-needed injury update from Ben Johnson that paints a more accurate picture for $40 million safety’s eventual return
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson provided an update on safety Coby Bryant’s injury timeline and where he’s currently at in his recovery process.
As the Chicago Bears consider making a defensive addition ahead of the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline, there is one player that could certainly boost the team’s defense that’s already in the building working his way back into action.
That player is safety Coby Bryant, who signed a three-year $40 million deal with the team in free agency, but has been recovering from a knee injury he suffered early in training camp. Bryant’s injury was expected to sideline him for four-six months with hope that he could return late in the season before the playoffs.
We finally got our first real update on Bryant’s status after head coach Ben Johnson met with the media on Wednesday.
Coby Bryant is on track in his recovery from his offseason knee injury
In early August, Bryant underwent surgery on his hyperextended knee that also included a bone bruise and a slight fracture. Ahead of the team’s Week 6 game against the Atlanta Falcons, Bryant was spotted walking on the sideline without crutches, fueling fan speculation that he was well ahead of his recovery.
After hearing from Johnson on Wednesday, that proved to be wishful thinking, but Bryant is still making steady progress toward a potential return later in the season.
“Yeah, he’s on track. In the near future here we’re going to start with some on-land running, but we’re still a little ways away from him doing the change-of-direction stuff, and that’s really going to be the stress test with him, is him being able to really push down on that knee and change direction at a high velocity. That’s still a little ways away,” Johnson explained. “From what I understand, he’s right on track; he’s working his tail off. Love seeing him in the building; he’s around these guys all the time, and really over the next month, that’ll go a long way to see whether we can get him back this year or not.”
All of that to say, Bryant is still weeks away from getting back on the practice field, much less being cleared to play in a game. However, it’s still exciting to finally get an update on his status and learning that he’s at least on track in his recovery.
Coby Bryant is the missing piece for this secondary
The Bears have had a revolving door in the secondary all season long. Xavier Woods, who started the season at safety in Bryant’s place, has since been released from the team. Cam Lewis now mans that position alongside first-round rookie Dillon Thieneman.
At cornerback, Jaylon Johnson has looked nothing like his former self while Tyrique Stevenson continues to be on and off the field dealing with injuries. Even the one bright spot at cornerback, rookie Malik Muhammad II, is now dealing with an injury of his own.
The Bears did an encouraging boost over the last two games with the return of slot cornerback Kyler Gordon, who has quickly become the team’s top defensive player.
With the trade deadline coming up, cornerback is a position the Bears could consider adding some depth at with all of the injuries mounting and Johnson’s performance declining on the outside.
However, the real missing piece for this secondary is going to be Bryant. The Bears are still holding out hope that he can return at some point this season and it would be a massive boost if he’s able to get back on the field in 2026. Wednesday’s update is still vague on that timeline, but it was encouraging news nonetheless that he’s on track.
