Anyone who says NFL players, including those on the Chicago Bears, aren't reading what is being said about them online doesn't know.
All the talk over the last week has been about the survey series that ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler has been releasing, ranking the top players at each position based on what league personnel are saying. The last of the series was at safety, and new Chicago Bears safety Coby Bryant was in the article with a nice quote from an NFL coordinator, but was not in the top 10.
Bears fans went online to share their thoughts on the matter, with one tagging Bryant, hoping "that instilled a different level of anger and motivation" in the new member of the team. Bryant responded in the best way possible,
"They gone see."
They gone see
— Coby Bryant (@_CobyBryant_) July 16, 2026
Coby Bryant is certainly ready to prove NFL personnel wrong
In 15 games with the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks last year, Bryant racked up 66 tackles, seven pass deflections, four tackles for loss, a career-high four interceptions, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Pro Football Focus gave him a 65.5 overall grade, ranking him 45th among 98 eligible safeties in 2025.
The Bears lost both of their starting safeties in free agency with All-Pro Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker. Even though they had the option to bring those guys back before signing Bryant to his three-year, $40 million contract, Chicago wanted to move on and start fresh in the secondary.
Last year's unit was not great against the pass, ranking 22nd in pass defense and allowing 227.2 yards per game. Overall, though, the Bears' defense struggled throughout the season, ranking 29th in total defense, allowing 361.8 yards per game.
Chicago also selected rookie Dillon Thieneman in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft to be Bryant's running mate at safety. The pair is hoping to stick around for at least three years, if not longer.
Bryant brings a different level to the position that Byard and Brisker struggled with last year. While Byard was better at creating turnovers last season, Bryant was more consistent in pass coverage. According to PFF, Bryant allowed a passer rating of 78.4, while Byard allowed an 85.3 passer rating.
Watching the tape on Bryant, he is instinctive with tracking the football and knowing where to go with it. Even if he doesn't get the interceptions or pass deflections that Byard does, he is going to make a play on it and allow fewer completions his way, eliminating those long yards that the Bears allowed so often last season.
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Chicago knew they had to get younger and more consistent in pass coverage and on defense. Bryant brings that to the position in a way that hasn't been there for a while.
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