The Chicago Bears have received a bleak update on starting free safety Coby Bryant after carting him off the field with an injury at August 3’s practice.
According to CHGO’s Adam Hoge, Bryant went down “grabbing his left knee” during a one-on-one rep against tight end Cole Kmet at Monday’s padded practice and was visibly “emotional” on the practice field as the team carted him off into the locker room.
While Bryant’s teammates initially said that he “should be fine,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported after practice that Bryant had hyperextended his knee and sustained damage to the bone and that his injury recovery will keep him sidelined until at least October.
“Bears safety Coby Bryant is expected to be sidelined 8-10 weeks due to a hyperextended knee, bone bruise and small fracture that he suffered at today’s practice, per sources,” Schefter wrote Monday on X. “No surgery is expected to be needed.”
Coby Bryant Injury Throws Wrench into Bears’ Secondary
The Bears signed Bryant to a three-year, $40 million contract during the first wave of free agency in March, installing him as their new replacement for three-time Pro Bowl starter Kevin Byard III at free safety. His injury could severely disrupt the plan, though.
The Bears entered the 2026 offseason with major questions about the future of their safety position, as both starters — Byard and Jaquan Brisker — were due to become free agents along with veteran backup Jonathan Owens. While analysts forecast them to re-sign at least one of their starters, they allowed everyone to walk and picked a new path.
Not only did the Bears sign Bryant as one of their new starters in free agency, but they also invested their first-round pick (No. 25 overall) into versatile Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, building a new deep field that better fits Dennis Allen’s scheme.
Bryant had looked promising in his role over the first week of camp, too, picking off Caleb Williams in one of their unpadded practices and settling nicely into the system.
Now, though, the Bears will have no choice but to explore their options for Plan B at free safety and wait for Bryant to return to the field partway into the regular season.
Coby Bryant’s Teammates Optimistic About His Return
Bryant’s significant knee injury puts a damper on things for the Bears early in training camp, but his teammates seem optimistic about his chances of bouncing back in 2026.
Before Schefter’s report, Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze tried to put minds at ease about Bryant’s injury during his post-practice interview with the Up & Adams show, telling host Kay Adams that Bryant “should be fine” after his cart-off on Monday.
Bears tight end Colston Loveland also chimed in on the situation when speaking with reporters after practice, expressing similar optimism about Bryant’s ability to return.
“It always sucks to see,” Loveland said. “That’s always part of it, but he’s tough, he’s a dog.”
In the meantime, the Bears will need to explore their other options. Veteran Cam Lewis, another offseason free-agent signing for Chicago, stepped into Bryant’s shoes following his injury, but the team had already been asking him to cover the nickel role in practice in place of Kyler Gordon — who remains on the PUP list with his injury.
Backup safety Elijah Hicks is also on the PUP list with an injury, leaving the Bears with a limited set of options at the safety position on their current 90-man roster at camp.
Bears Get Brutal Injury Update After Carting Off $40 Million Starter