The Chicago Bears fan base's hearts dropped when safety Coby Bryant was reported as being injured at training camp.
Bryant went down with a knee injury at practice and was carted off the field. Bears wide receiver Rome Oduzne told Kay Adams on the Up & Adams show that Bryant would be fine. ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter delivered the news fans have waited for regarding what happened and his timeline to return.
"Bears safety Coby Bryant is expected to be sidelined 8-10 weeks due to a hyperextended knee, bone bruise and small fracture that he suffered at today’s practice, per sources. No surgery is expected to be needed."
Chicago Bears escape with just a few weeks gone for Coby Bryant
The Bears should count themselves lucky that the injury wasn't as bad as they thought it would be. It was reported that Bryant and his teammates were emotional regarding the injury, which made it seem worse than it actually turned out to be.
Bryant is going to be a key player in this Bears defense, as a leader and starter in the secondary. He is supposed to mentor rookie Dillon Thieneman and help him develop as a defensive back in this league.
Chicago is going to be without someone who can navigate each offensive play and know what to do on it. Bryant is good at tackling and breaking up passes, so not having that in the Bears' defense is going to sting.
Cam Lewis was reported as Bryant's replacement in the secondary. Lewis is a bad option for now, since he was a reliable starter for the Buffalo Bills over the years. He has enough game experience that it won't be too much of a step back for the Bears' defense.
It still changes a lot for Chicago, as they are down one playmaker in the secondary. More pressure will be on Thieneman to live up to his expectations as a rookie. He was a playmaker himself in college, so the Bears want to see the same thing.
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Overall, it could have been a whole lot worse for the Bears, but it appears that they have escaped without losing Bryant for the rest of the season. It seems like he will be back before the midway point of the season. The defense takes a hit, but overall for the season, hope is not lost.
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