Coby Bryant's big free-agent payday just hit a rough patch.
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The Bears' new safety will miss 8 to 10 weeks after hyperextending his left knee in Monday's practice, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. He sustained a bone bruise and a small fracture but is not expected to need surgery.
It happened during one-on-one drills in the first padded practice of camp. Bryant showed clear frustration before getting carted back into the facility.
This one stings. Chicago signed Bryant to a three-year, $40 million deal this offseason as their marquee defensive addition. They cleaned house in the secondary, moved on from both starting safeties from last year, and still spent a first-round pick (No. 25) on Dillon Thieneman. Now their top free-agent safety is looking at a significant chunk of the season on the shelf.
The depth chart got thinner in a hurry. Once Bryant left the field, veteran Cam Lewis slid over to safety when the Bears went to 11-on-11 in their base defense. Lewis had been working at nickel while Kyler Gordon continues to work back from a calf injury that has kept him out since the spring.
Backup safety Elijah Hicks is also starting camp on the physically unable to perform list. That leaves the Bears with Gervarrius Owens, Skyler Thomas and Anthony Johnson Jr. as the remaining safeties on the roster. Combined NFL snaps among those three: zero.
"It always sucks to see," tight end Colston Loveland said. "That's part of it. You know, he's tough, he's a dog. He's going to be fine."
Tough, yes. Available in September and early October? Not so much. The Bears just got a reminder that even the biggest offseason moves can go sideways in a hurry.
