The Chicago Bears caught a rough break on Tuesday, with news that safety Coby Bryant could miss upwards of the entire season.
Bryant suffered a hyperextension of his left knee during a practice session last week, as well as a bone bruise and a small fracture of the same joint. Head coach Ben Johnson shut down initial reports that the safety, whom Chicago signed to a three-year deal worth $40 million during the offseason, would miss between 8-10 weeks.
Unfortunately for the Bears, it turns out that the estimate Johnson refuted was actually low. The coach spoke with media members on August 11, providing them with the actual timeline that could keep Bryant out more than twice as long.
#Bears S Coby Bryant underwent knee surgery and he will be sidelined 4-6 months per Coach Ben Johnson. Hope is he can return at the end of the season.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) August 11, 2026
"#Bears S Coby Bryant underwent knee surgery and he will be sidelined 4-6 months, per Coach Ben Johnson," Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune posted to X. "Hope is he can return at the end of the season."
Bears secondary decimated by injury before preseason has even begun
Alongside Bryant, nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon is also battling a soft-tissue injury that has kept him out for the entirety of training camp to this point.
Gordan is also a $40 million player, but saw just three games of action last year due to a series of muscle strains that began during the summer of 2025.
Chicago released its first unofficial 53-man roster on Tuesday, which indicated that the team will proceed in a 4-2-5 base defense. That means four defensive linemen, two linebackers and five defensive backs will start for coordinator Dennis Allen.
Bryant and Gordon were meant to be two of those starters and are the highest-paid players on the unit, which was supposed to be the Bears' defensive strength this season, other than two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson.
Johnson battled lingering groin issues all of last season, though he has returned to 100 percent health this summer. However, there have been some physical issues involving depth in the secondary, including to backup safety Elijah Hicks, currently on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list with a shin issue.
Safety Cam Lewis, who will presumably start in Bryant's place if he remains healthy, and backup cornerback Terell Smith also each left a practice session last week, but are not currently carrying any injury designation.
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