The Cincinnati Bearcats had a special secondary in 2021. The team had cornerback Sauce Gardner, but it also had future Seattle Seahawks defensive back Coby Bryant. Garnder has been a good player, but Bryant has won a Super Bowl. He has also been pretty terrific in the last two seasons as well.
He just needed his chance to play. After he was drafted in the fourth round in 2022, he was tasked with playing slot corner. He wasn't awful, but the team needed an upgrade, and got that when Devon Witherspoon was taken fifth overall in the 2023 draft. Bryant had nowhere to play.
2023 was a lost year for Bryant, playing in only nine games and starting just two. His teammates kept noticing he was skilled at taking the ball away in practice, but he couldn't translate that to a real game. Not until midway through 2024, after he had transitioned to strong safety. That is when he fully bloomed.
Coby Bryant might have played his last down for the Seattle Seahawks
Mike Macdonald's defense wasn't terrible in his first year with the team, but the unit wasn't what he expected. Changes were needed, so the team acquired linebacker Ernest Jones from the Tennessee Titans, and Bryant took over at one of the safety spots beside Julian Love.
In Bryant's first start, he had 11 tackles and an interception. He would never fail to be a starter again. The issue is that his time with the Seahawks might be ending.
He is a free agent for the first time this offseason, and according to Spotrac, Bryant's market value is projected to be $14.3 million a season beginning in 2026. Seattle has the money to pay that, but maybe not if the team also wants to pay fellow free agents running back Kenneth Walker, edge rusher Boye Mafe, cornerback Josh Jobe, and wide receiver Rashid Shaheed.
Bryant bet on himself last offseason. The team wanted to negotiate an extension with him, but the safety and his representatives weren't ready. Seattle turned its attention to right tackle Abraham Lucas instead, and he was signed to an extension.
Coby Bryant was likely correct to wait, though. He set career-highs with four interceptions in 2025, as well as seven passes defended, and four tackles for loss. In the past two seasons, he has allowed four touchdown passes, but he has had seven interceptions. Some team is going to give good money for that ratio.
That might be the Seattle Seahawks, but most likely, not. General manager John Schneider has to prioritize different spots. After all, Ty Okada was pretty good when Bryant missed time this season. Seattle's depth might be what hurts Bryant most in any contract negotiations with the team that drafted him.