Chicago Bears land S Coby Bryant in NFL Free Agency: What it means for the team

Bears miss out on DE Maxx Crosby, NFL free agency frenzy | Chicago Sports Tonight

On this edition of Chicago Sports Tonight on Sunday, FOX Chicago Sport Anchor Tina Nguyen is joined by The Score’s Laurence Holmes and Mark Grote as they discuss who the Bears should pivot to after missing out on Maxx Crosby, DJ Moore being traded to the Bills, center Drew Dalman’s sudden retirement, DePaul hoops earning the No 6 seed in the Big East Tournament, World Baseball Classic, and White Sox Shane Smith named Opening Day starter.

The Chicago Bears' big free agency splash pulls a starting safety away from the reigning Super Bowl champions.

The Bears will sign free agent safety Coby Bryant away from Seattle on a three-year deal worth $40 million, according to multiple reports.

Here's what that means for the Bears.

What we know:

The Bears needed to upgrade their secondary, and will do so with a productive safety.

Bryant and Julian Love tag-teamed as a stellar safety tandem in Seattle. Bryant had seven interceptions across the last two seasons, starting 34 games in his tenure with the Seahawks. In that time frame, he recorded seven forced fumbles and 17 pass breakups.

This might mean the Bears will have an entirely new safety tandem in their defensive backfield.

It remains to be seen if the Bears can afford both Bryant and All-Pro safety Kevin Byard. It was assumed the Bears could only afford one of either Byard or Jaquan Brisker. Before free agency started, the Bears were open about wanting to bring Byard back into the fold. 

"I have a lot of faith in our process that we'll do that," Bears general manager Ryan Poles said on Jan. 21. "I think that Kevin (Byard III) is a special player, I have no problem saying that that is a player that we would like to have back. But, again, when you add the other safeties into that mix, and all of the other decisions that we have across the roster, cap restraints, things like that, it will be a challenge. But, that's part of what we do."

The Bears will be paying Bryant like he could be the next All-Pro safety, however.

The 109th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Bryant developed into a key component of the Seahawks' defense. FOX Sports reported Seattle wanted Bryant back, but the Bears' offer spoke to how much they value Bryant's play making abilities.

Bryant will join the Bears at 26 years old. He's also 6-foot-1 with good ball skills, meaning he fits defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's defensive scheme well, and he could have the ballhawking skills that passing game coordinator Al Harris likes to coach.

Bryant has a high motor that drew praise from the Seattle coaching staff well before the Super Bowl season began.

"He has that chip on his shoulder naturally because he's just a great competitor, but those are the type of guys we want," Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said in July 2025. "When he finally got his opportunity, he knocked it out of the park, and he's earned himself a great role on our football team."

What's next:

It remains to be seen what the Bears will do at linebacker now.

With a key safety position and a reserve defensive lineman position filled, the Bears can focus on adding another linebacker. They might have to watch Brisker and Byard sign contracts elsewhere in the process.

That's the business side of free agency.