What Does the Signing of Coby Bryant Mean For Kevin Byard III and Jaquan Brisker?

The Bears landed Coby Bryant. What does that mean for the future of Kevin Byard III?

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks safety Coby Bryant (8) against the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bears made their first big move of this year's free agency session. They signed safety Coby Bryant to a three-year, $40 million deal today.

The Bears are signing safety Coby Bryant, per sources. pic.twitter.com/zTUGLfx0ZT

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 9, 2026

Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson both emphasized the importance of improving their speed on the defensive side of the ball during their interviews at the NFL Scouting Combine. This signing certainly fits the billing there.

While Bryant might not be a track star (he ran a respectable 4.48-second 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine), he provides more than enough speed to the back end.

He's still only 27 and is coming off the best season of his career. He finished last season with 66 tackles, four interceptions, and seven pass deflections for the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks. He also had a solid year in 2024, when he picked off three passes, had six deflections, and 73 tackles. Notably, he put up that stat line while playing a slightly different role (strong safety) for Seattle.

What does that mean for their pending free agents, Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard III?

Bryant has experience playing both free safety, where he played this season, and strong safety, where he played in 2024. He played at a relatively high level in both roles.

Personally, I think they'd probably be signing him to play Byard's role at free safety. He seems to be more of a fit at free safety, where he can use his speed and instincts to roam center field for Chicago's defense.

It'll hurt to see Byard make plays for another team if they decide to go that route. However, I understand the decision when factoring in his age (he's five years younger than Byard) and the fact that he's still ascending. However, they will definitely miss the leadership that the 32-year-old provided.

As for Jaquan Brisker, I also don't think he'll be putting pen to paper to return to Chicago anytime soon. I'd honestly be shocked if they allocate two big ticket signings to the safety position.

I'm excited to see just how many hats Dennis Allen is going to have Bryant wear for his defense. His versatility will surely come in clutch, and I think he could provide a huge impact.