With NFL free agency in full swing, the Chicago Bears made a major addition by signing former Seattle Seahawks and Super Bowl champion safety Coby Bryant to a 3-year, $40 million contract, per Jordan Schultz.
Bryant is still well in his prime, being just 26 years old. He’s coming off a productive season where he totaled four interceptions, seven pass deflections, and sixty-six total tackles. He is a very good safety who will bring good coverage skills and additional speed to the back end of the Bears’ defense.
Contractually, Bryant is now the 13th highest paid NFL safety, making $13.3 million a year on average. The contract, however, is backloaded with only a $1.5 million base salary in 2026 and a $12 million signing bonus, per Aaron Wilson. This means his cap in 2026 will be around $5.9 million, while his cap hits in 2027 and 2028 will be higher. This gives the Bears additional cap flexibility in 2026.
Before the Bryant signing, most reports and press conferences signaled that the Bears were looking to bring back all-pro safety Kevin Byard. With another safety joining with a similar skill set, it seems likely that Byard will not be playing in Chicago in 2026.
The Bears also seem unlikely to bring back safety Jaquan Brisker, who started all four years of his rookie contract for the Bears. Although Brisker is a good young player, he has a documented history of concussions, including four total, one of which sidelined him for 12 games in 2024.
With both Byard and Brisker seemingly not returning and Bryant now signed, the Bears will likely pursue another safety in the draft.
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to our newsletter here. Check out Stadium Rant Original shows on our Youtube channel and subscribe! Give our socials Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok a follow for more great content!
