Chicago Bears safety Coby Bryant will miss four to six months after undergoing knee surgery on Aug. 7, coach Ben Johnson confirmed Tuesday, delivering a significant blow to a secondary that has been ravaged by injuries throughout training camp.
Bryant hyperextended his left knee during one-on-ones on Aug. 3, sustaining a bone bruise and small fracture. He was driven back to the building on a cart. Johnson said the Bears sought multiple opinions on the injury before determining that surgery was required. The coach expressed optimism that Bryant would be in a hurry to return before the end of the season.
Bryant was Chicago’s marquee free agent signing this offseason, having agreed to a three-year, $40 million contract as part of a complete overhaul of the team’s safety unit. He and first-round rookie Dillon Thieneman were brought in to replace Kevin Byard, who signed with New England, and Jaquan Brisker, who signed with Pittsburgh. The departing safeties were part of a defense that led the NFL with 33 takeaways last season.
A secondary in crisis
Bryant’s extended absence is the most significant in a cluster of injuries that have depleted the defensive backfield. Cornerback Kyler Gordon has been on the physically unable to perform list with a calf injury since before practices began, with general manager Ryan Poles describing a delay in his recovery. Backup safety Elijah Hicks is also on the PUP list with a calf injury. Reserve defensive backs Gervarrius Owens and Dallis Flowers sustained significant leg injuries last week.
Cam Lewis, who had moved from nickel corner to safety coverage in Bryant’s absence, was injured during Saturday’s practice and missed Sunday’s session. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said he did not believe Lewis’s injury would be long-term but did not have a timeline for his return.
To address the depleted depth, the Bears signed veteran safety Xavier Woods on Friday. Woods, who has 10 years of professional experience, played alongside Thieneman with the first-team defense during Sunday’s practice and is expected to fill the starting safety spot while Bryant and Lewis recover.
Other injury updates
Johnson provided two additional updates Tuesday. Wide receiver Luther Burden III, who has been dealing with a groin injury, is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season when the Bears open at Carolina on Sept. 12. Johnson said the team is hopeful he will be available for that game.
Left tackle Ozzy Trapilo, who ruptured his patellar tendon during the playoffs, is progressing in his recovery from the physically unable to perform list and could potentially return before training camp concludes. Johnson said Trapilo is hitting his milestones and doing a good job.
What it means for Chicago
The Bears spent the offseason transforming their safety unit, and the first major evaluation of that construction has gone badly before the regular season has started. Bryant was intended to anchor the position, and losing him for the early months of the season shifts significant responsibility onto Thieneman, a rookie, and Woods, a veteran who was available on short notice.
The broader picture of the secondary is also concerning. Gordon’s delayed recovery, Hicks’s PUP designation, the leg injuries to Owens and Flowers, and the Lewis setback represent a level of attrition at one position group that could compromise what was supposed to be one of the Bears’ strengths heading into the season.
Chicago has Caleb Williams at quarterback and significant offensive talent around him heading into what figures to be an important year for the franchise. Whether the defensive backfield can stabilize before Sept. 12 is one of the more pressing questions the organization faces heading into the final weeks of camp.
