It was surprising to see Kevin Byard leave the Chicago Bears after leading the NFL in interceptions and becoming an All-Pro.
Many thought the Bears would try to work out a deal to keep him, but they ultimately let him walk and join the New England Patriots in free agency. Bleacher Report writer Moe Moton liked what the Bears did next as they replaced Byard with Coby Bryant, which was ranked as one of the top 20 offseason moves made according to Moton.
"In free agency, the Chicago Bears lost three-time All-Pro Kevin Byard, but they signed a 27-year-old ascending ball hawk in Coby Bryant. He played a key role in the Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl-winning defense, recording four interceptions and seven pass breakups while allowing one touchdown and a 54 passer rating in coverage. For comparison, Byard allowed seven touchdowns and a 98.6 passer rating last year. The Bears upgrade at safety."
Coby Bryant 's signing to Bears was named one of the best offseason moves in the NFL
Byant racked up 66 tackles, seven pass deflections, four tackles for loss, a career-high four interceptions, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery in 15 games with the Seattle Seahawks last year. He played a big role in helping Seattle take home the Lombardi Trophy.
That Super Bowl championship experience helped the Bears justify paying him $40 million over three years. Byant proved to be a playmaker while being stellar in pass coverage compared to Byard.
The turnovers Byard created masked many of the gaps in his game, as he was prone to allowing big plays in the passing game. Everyone in the league just saw him leading with interceptions, but did not understand that he was a liability in pass coverage.
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Bryant is a big upgrade for a Bears secondary that desperately needs help in making sure they are cutting down on the pass plays being allowed. Byard is going to be missed in terms of his leadership and the way he carries himself, but ultimately, Bryant is the better overall player who will help Chicago in getting torn apart between each of the 20-yard lines.
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