Even though the idea of safety Kevin Byard returning to the Chicago Bears picked up momentum last week, it seems as if the Coby Bryant signing has stopped it in its tracks.
And while I still believe that Bryant and Byard could coexist as a safety tag team in a defense run by Bears Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen, it does not look like that is in the cards. The latest from the Tribune’s Brad Biggs hints that the Coby Bryant signing on Day 1 of the early negotiation window essentially puts an end to Chicago’s pursuit of bringing back Byard for another season (bold emphasis mine):
Not surprisingly, the Bears were busy on defense with the biggest deal being for safety Coby Bryant, who had four interceptions last season for the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. He agreed to terms on a $40 million, three-year contract with $25.75 million guaranteed, which effectively makes him the replacement for All-Pro Kevin Byard III. The team spoke openly about prioritizing a reunion with Byard, who turns 33 in August, but made Bryant the No. 1 target when a second contract couldn’t be reached.
BEARS SIGNINGS: Bush | Bryant | Gallimore | Raymond
And if that wasn’t enough, Biggs really drove home the point during his Tuesday morning hit on 104.3 The Score:
.@BradBiggs' hunch is it's unlikely that All-Pro safety Kevin Byard re-signs with the Bears.He thinks the Bears want to add another safety in the NFL Draft, and Elijah Hicks could return to Chicago as a depth piece. pic.twitter.com/jh6o35RO2x
— 104.3 The Score (@thescorechicago) March 10, 2026More from Biggs’ radio hit:
“At the safety position, I would have to believe the arrival of Coby Bryant makes it unlikely Kevin Byard would re-sign with the Bears. And I think I’ve been pretty adamant all along that I don’t think that there is a future with the organization for Jaquan Brisker. I think they’re moving on there. I think that the most likely scenario is that they add some more players at the position. Elijah Hicks could come back, maybe they look for a low-budget backup type of guy. And then you’re hoping to find your next safety that can be here for a while in the draft.”
What’s next for the Bears and Kevin Byard?
That was an informative 52-second clip from Biggs on The Score. Because in addition to bringing clarity to the Kevin Byard situation, Biggs shares that Jaquan Brisker — the team’s other starting safety from last season’s squad — is unlikely to return. He also offers up the idea of Elijah Hicks coming back for another season. Hicks was a Day 3 pick who was part of Ryan Poles’ first NFL Draft class as Bears general manager. The radio hit also has me on high alert for another veteran free safety addition who would fit in a reserve role. I’ll be thumbing through free agent guides later in search of fits.
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In the end, the other big takeaway (beyond Kevin Byard’s future) is that there appears to be a belief that it would make sense for the Bears to turn their attention to the 2026 NFL Draft for another safety. This appears to be a quality draft class for safety products, which is good news for Chicago’s front office. Given the team’s needs along the defensive line, it might not be the best idea to draft a safety in Round 1 with pick No. 25. But the Bears have three other Day 2 picks (Round 2-Pick 57, Round 2-Pick 60, Round 3-Pick 89) at their disposal. Perhaps Coby Bryant’s safety partner can be unearthed at some point during the NFL Draft.
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