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A Drafted Bears Safety Could Benefit From Past Coby Bryant Mentoring

After the former Seahawks safety helped Nick Emmanwori succeed as a rookie, the Bears are also prepared to lean on Bryant's experience breaking in young DBs.
Gene Chamberlain|
Bears safety Coby Bryant can be expected to have a mentor's role for a draft pick at this position.
Bears safety Coby Bryant can be expected to have a mentor's role for a draft pick at this position. | Chicago Bears On SI Photo: Chicago Bears video

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Chicago Bears

New starting safety Coby Bryant is more than a scheme fit for the Bears in the secondary.

He seems to be an ideal fit for the role in another specific way for this season.

The Bears are expected to draft a safety somewhere, and maybe two of them. They'd better, or they might be playing a new and difficult scheme with only Bryant at safety. Otherwise, they could wind up using a slot cornerback at safety.

They're still short players at this position, but when they get the player they want he'll have someone with experience at mentoring younger sidekicks.

“I embrace it. I'm that type of guy, honestly," Bryant said Monday as players reported to Halas Hall for the conditioning program. "I did it last year with Nick Emmanwori."

Emmanwori made 11 pass breakups, nine tackles for loss, and an interception as a second-round rookie out of South Carolina playing or the world champions. Apparently, Bryant had a very positive influence.

The Bears could very well bring in a second- or even first-rounder in this draft at safety. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren in Round 1 or one of several safeties could be there in Round 2 as Bryant's new young apprentice in the secondary.

"When I was a rookie, Quandre Diggs did it to me, so it's not my first time doing it," Bryant said about mentoring. "I embrace it, honestly, just building that relationship early. It's definitely a good thing.”

Bryant is still fairly young in only his fifth year, but he'll take on an immediate leadership role in the secondary like Kevin Byard did the past two years. It's also a role he is familiar with from his time in Seattle.

“I feel like since I first started playing football, people just gravitate towards me," Bryant said. "I don't know what it is, but I'm blessed to be that leader, and that role model for guys as well too. I just want to lead the right way.”

The new No. 2 on roster

Something else familiar to Bryant is his new jersey number. He's taking DJ Moore's old No. 2 after he played wearing No. 8 in Seattle, after considering keeping his old number.

"Yeah, I was interested, but the thought process behind that was just wanted to leave that number in Seattle, honestly," he said. "No. 2 has always been my number since I first started playing football (before the NFL). I wanted to create my own legacy with that number, and my older brother wore it. A couple other older guys who were like brothers to me, (former Bears return man) Ted Ginn Jr. and (Washington DB) Marshon Lattimore, went to my high school."

Both also wore the number.

"So at my high school, if you were No. 2, you were a pretty a special player," he said. "So that was the thought process behind that.”

When he's not leading or mentoring and simply is playing, his position is a key one to the scheme because Allen will give his safeties tremendous responsibility. He's used to this.

Former Seattle safety Coby Bryant seems to be an ideal fit for what the Bears are going to expect from a starting safety
Seattle safety Coby Bryant seems to be an ideal fit for what the Bears are going to want from a starting safety. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

"Just utilize me in man coverage or middle of the field, whatever the case may be," Bryant said. "I could do a lot of things, and the coaches and staff realize that as well.

"And, you know, just whatever I need to do to help the team I'm willing to do.”

Now it's a matter of finding out Thursday or Friday who his sidekick in the secondary will be, as he accepts the pressure of a key leadership position.

“I wouldn't say it's any pressure," he said. "I just feel like it’s a blessing just to have that role. And it's year five for me. I'm not a young guy anymore. That’s the role I was already taking in."

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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