The Chicago Bears received their first major setback of training camp on Monday, and it could force general manager Ryan Poles to revisit a familiar face.
Starting safety Coby Bryant is expected to miss eight to 10 weeks after suffering a hyperextended left knee, bone bruise and small fracture during the Bears’ first padded practice, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
It’s a brutal break for a player the Bears signed to a three year, $40 million deal in free agency, banking on him to stabilize a secondary that finished 29th in total defense last season.
Bryant had been exactly what they hoped for through the spring and early camp, described by teammates as a “spark plug” bringing energy to a unit that badly needed it.
Now Chicago has a hole to fill, and not a small one. Cam Lewis stepped in with the first team defense Monday, but he’s also been cross training at slot corner to cover for Kyler Gordon‘s ongoing PUP absence.
The Bears don’t have the luxury of moving pieces around forever. Eventually they need actual bodies. Fortunately, one of the top veteran options still available also has an existing connection to Chicago’s coaching staff: Safety Xavier Woods.
Xavier Woods checks multiple boxes for Chicago
GettySafety Xavier Woods
Now Xavier Woods isn’t coming off his best season after injuries limited him to just 11 games with the Tennessee Titans in 2025, but his body of work suggests there’s still plenty left in the tank…
Just one season earlier with the Carolina Panthers, Woods produced arguably the best year of his career. He recorded 119 tackles, three interceptions and started all 17 games, proving he can still be a solid safety in the league.
Even further, Woods played under Al Harris in Dallas, and Harris now coaches the Chicago Bears’ defensive backs. That’s not a small detail for a player who’d be walking into a new scheme on short notice.
The broader Bears picture
GettySafety Xavier Woods
The Chicago Bears secondary is a mess right now.
From Kyler Gordon’s calf issue, to Elijah Hicks and Terell Smith both being down for who knows how long, to now losing Coby Bryant, the Bears need a veteran who can start immediately and not get exposed in coverage while the rest of the group finds its footing.
Sure Xavier Woods is 30, coming off an injury shortened season, and wasn’t exactly a lock for a starting job in Tennessee before the Titans moved on. But the Bears simply need someone who won’t be a liability, and Woods can fill that.
Coby Bryant’s injury just exposed how thin the Chicago Bears safety depth actually is heading into a season where the defense can’t afford another slow start.
Xavier Woods isn’t a flashy answer, but he’s an available one with ties to this staff and recent proof he can still play at a high level.
With Bryant expected to miss the start of the season, Chicago suddenly has a compelling reason to reunite Harris with an old friend before another hole opens in the defense.
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