Chicago Bears safety Coby Bryant had knee surgery Friday and will be out 4-6 months, coach Ben Johnson confirmed Tuesday.
The Bears are hopeful Bryant could return at the end of the season or playoffs.
Initially, there was optimism within the organization that Bryant might not need surgery when he was carted off the field at training camp on Aug. 3. Bryant had a hyperextended knee, a bone bruise and a small fracture, according to reports.
Bryant, 27, signed a three-year, $40 million contract in March after a stellar campaign with the Seattle Seahawks that ended with a Super Bowl LX win. He started 15 games in 2025, logging 66 tackles, four interceptions and a forced fumble.
A fourth-round draft pick by Seattle in 2022, Bryant has played in 58 regular-season games (34 starts) and posted 227 tackles, two sacks and seven interceptions.
Chicago signed Bryant and drafted first-round pick Dillon Thieneman after 2025 starters Kevin Byrard (New England Patriots) and Jaquan Brisker (Pittsburgh Steelers) departed as free agents.
The Bears on Friday signed free-agent safety Xavier Woods, 31, who has 121 career starts with the Dallas Cowboys (2017-20), Minnesota Vikings (2021), Carolina Panthers (2022-24) and Tennessee Titans (2025).
Woods has been aligning next to Thieneman with the first-team defense since Bryant was injured.
