New Bears acquisition spills the beans on what truly excites him about playing in Chicago despite coming off a Super Bowl win in Seattle
Coby Bryant is the perfect fit for what the Chicago Bears are looking to add to the secondary.
The Chicago Bears made it obvious how they felt about the team’s safety room after letting All Pro selection Kevin Byard III and former second-round pick Jaquan Brisker walk out of the door and sign with new teams in free agency on modest deals.
As the first replacement to the room, the Bears moved quick to sign former Seattle Seahawks safety Coby Bryant to a sizable three-year, $40 million deal. The 26-year-old is just scratching the surface of his potential after transition from being a nickel to a more traditional safety. After hearing from general manager Ryan Poles on Thursday, it’s clear the team is pumped about this addition.
“When we watched Coby’s tape, he was a guy who got us excited because we felt like he played our style of ball,” Poles said. “He played fast; he played physical. Those are the things that (defensive coordinator Dennis Allen) is looking for, that we’re looking for. We thought there was leadership there. He’s young. We had the opportunity to bring a unique player in, and that’s the decision we made.”
It was an extremely tough decision to move on from Byard, a very respected leader in the locker room who was still playing the best football of his career in Year 10. And part of that success Byard had in this system is what played a major role in Bryant coming to Chicago.
Coby Bryant shares why he signed with the Bears and his excitement playing under Al Harris
“Honestly, just feeling wanted,” Bryant explained. “That’s the feeling that I had. God told me, just choose this place, and that’s what happened.”
Bryant is coming off a Super Bowl win with the Seahawks and got a taste of being in a successful organization. It’s something he saw in the Bears as well looking at the team from afar.
“Big reason why I chose to be here,” Bryant added. “Got the right guys, the right coaching staff. Just taking it one day at a time and starting in OTAs (Organized Team Activities).”
Quarterback Caleb Williams and head coach Ben Johnson were major draws for players wanting to join the Bears, for obvious reasons. Another name that made Bryant eager to join the Bears was being able to work with defensive backs coach Al Harris, whom the Bears were able to retain despite getting multiple defensive coordinator interviews.
“I couldn’t stop smiling, honestly,” Bryant said. “Just the guys that he’s previously worked with had seven plus interceptions. So, I look forward to that for sure.”
Under Harris’ watch between Chicago and with the Dallas Cowboys, the former Pro Bowl cornerback has a great reputation developing defensive backs and bringing out the best in them.
In 2021, Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs tied a franchise record with 11 interceptions on the year, while being named to the Pro Bowl and as a first-team All Pro. In 2023, another Cowboys cornerback in DaRon Bland set the NFL record for most pick-sixes in a single season and lead the league in interceptions in route to a Pro Bowl and first-team All Pro selection of his own. This past season, Byard had seven interceptions with Pro Bowl and first-team All Pro honors while cornerback Nahshon Wright led his position with five interceptions and a Pro Bowl selection as an alternate.
Bryant is aware of the success that comes from being a student at the Al Harris University. In his four seasons, Bryant has totaled just seven interceptions with one pick six and has never been selected as a Pro Bowler or to the All Pro list. If history is a good indicator, Bryant’s best season is ahead of him working alongside Harris and he’ll have some big shoes to fill.
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