Lake Forest, IL (AP) – Chicago Bears safety Coby Bryant will miss four to six months after he had surgery on his injured left knee, coach Ben Johnson said Tuesday.
Bryant, signed to a $40 million, three-year deal as a free agent this offseason, was expected to be an important part of a revamped Chicago secondary.
Johnson said Bryant had surgery Friday without disclosing details of the injury. He did not rule out the possibility that Bryant would return this season.
“I got to see him today,” Johnson said. “He’s going to be in a hurry to get back to help us out there at the end of the year.”
Bryant was hurt at practice on Aug. 3. ESPN initially reported that he could miss eight to 10 weeks, but the team never confirmed that timeline.
Chicago let All-Pro safety Kevin Byard leave for Buffalo in free agency and signed Bryant, who spent four years with the Seattle Seahawks. He was the starting free safety for last year’s Super Bowl-winning squad.
“Coby is the template for how we all want our team to play,” Johnson said. “He was a big part of offense, defense and special teams, the mentality, the mindset, his approach. We loved everything about him.
“It certainly takes us back a little bit but it also provides opportunity for other guys to fill that void and it might be guys we hope to prod along a little bit.”
Former Dallas and Tennessee safety Xavier Woods was signed last week and immediately went in as a replacement for Bryant. He intercepted quarterback Caleb Williams in his first full practice.
“He’s a veteran player, he’s played a lot of football, been in a few different schemes,” defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said. “He’s been a productive player.”
Woods played for Bears defensive backs coach Al Harris in Dallas at the start of his career.
“So there’s some familiarity there with him,” Allen said. “And, I just think, right now, we needed another veteran piece back there in the back end, specifically at the safety position.”
Several other Bears players are banged up
The news about Bryant comes as the Bears deal with several less serious injuries. Chicago is preparing to host Cleveland on Saturday in its first preseason game.
Wide receiver Luther Burden suffered a groin injury last week and Johnson said he’ll miss the rest of training camp and the preseason, but will return for the start of the regular season.
Johnson also updated the injury status of starting left tackle Ozzy Trapilo, who suffered a patellar tendon injury last January in a playoff victory over Green Bay. Trapilo is progressing well, and Johnson wouldn’t rule out his return to practice by the end of preseason.
The Bears have been practicing without defensive end Montez Sweat, left tackle Braxton Jones, backup safety/cornerback Cam Lewis and backup safety Elijah Hicks. All of those injuries except for Hicks are considered day-to-day. Starting slot cornerback Kyler Gordon remains on the physically unable to perform list after a calf injury before training camp.
The Bears turned to rookie fourth-round pick Malik Muhammad in the slot last week and he continues to work with the starters in that role.
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