Seattle Seahawks 90-Man Roundup: Where Does Coby Bryant Fit in Secondary Plans?

Limited to just three games last year, Coby Bryant appears to have made the full-time transition to safety for the Seahawks, but his role remains unclear moving forward.

Sep 10, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws the ball away before being tackled by Seattle Seahawks cornerback Coby Bryant (8) during the first half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports / Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

With OTAs wrapping up across the NFL, the Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC in just under two months, officially ushering in the first season under new coach Mike Macdonald.

In preparation for the new incoming season, we’ll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, diving into scheme fits, exploring best and worst case scenarios and predicting what to expect from each player entering the 2024 campaign.

Coming off an injury-marred season, can Coby Bryant carve out a meaningful role in a new-look safety group?

Background

Lightly recruited out of Cleveland, Bryant committed to Cincinnati and played in 12 games as a true freshman, setting the stage for a fantastic collegiate career. Enjoying a breakout sophomore season, he registered two interceptions and nine pass breakups, and over the next three seasons, he registered seven interceptions, 19 pass breakups, and a defensive touchdown while winning the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's best defensive back as a senior for the Bearcats. Surprisingly, Bryant fell into day three of the 2022 NFL Draft before the Seahawks selected him in the fourth round. After playing primarily outside corner in college, the team slid in him inside to the slot during training camp and while he endured growing pains at a new position, he led all corners in forced fumbles and allowing no touchdowns in his final eight games in coverage. A toe injury limited him to just three games in 2023, however, putting his status on shaky ground moving forward.

Scheme Fit

Since coming into the NFL, Bryant has had to become far more versatile to see the field, playing 654 snaps in the slot as a rookie before transitioning to free safety last preseason. Given the team's depth at cornerback, his ability to play either safety position along with special teams will have a strong bearing on where he fits in for Seattle's new-look secondary in Mike Macdonald's defense.

Best Case Scenario

Rebounding from a lost sophomore season and restoring his value for a new staff, Bryant's previous cornerback experience pays dividends as an interchangeable safety in Macdonald's defense, allowing him to pass free agent signee K'Von Wallace as the the Seahawks primary nickel safety while also seeing some action in the slot on special teams.

Worst Case Scenario

No longer in the mix at cornerback with rookies Nehemiah Pritchett and D.J. James on board, Bryant fails to make much of an impact at the safety spot, eventually losing reps to Jerrick Reed II when he returns from a torn ACL midway through training camp and leading to a surprise cut in a crowded Seattle secondary.

What to Expect in 2024

Things can change in the blink of an eye in the NFL and just two years after Bryant turned in a promising rookie season, he's very much on the roster bubble for a reconstructed Seahawks secondary. With Devon Witherspoon likely to see the majority of the team's snaps in the slot and Pritchett and James already seeing significant action in reserve roles, he didn't see any snaps as a cornerback during OTAs and minicamp, suggesting the team views him as a safety moving forward in a new scheme.

Considering Bryant's ball skills and ability to force fumbles, he has some intriguing traits for a hybrid safety and his previous cornerback background will help him acclimate in some regards. But even at that position, Seattle signed Rayshawn Jenkins and Wallace in free agency and former undrafted signees Jonathan Sutherland and Ty Okada also will be in the mix, making it far from a guarantee he sticks around on the roster. Most likely, he will play well enough at his new position coupled with special teams contributions to hang around, but Reed's health status bears watching in regard to where he fits for the start of the season.

Previous 90-Man Roundups

Buddha Jones | Devin Richardson | TaMerik Williams | Rason Williams II | Ro Torrence | Nathan Pickering | Dee Williams | Devere Levelston | Kobe Lewis | Sunny Anderson | Mike Novitsky | Max Pircher | Easton Gibbs | Hayden Hatten | Garret Greenfield | Carlton Johnson | Matt Gotel |George Holani | Cody White | Ty Okada | Drake Thomas | McClendon Curtis | Easop Winston Jr. |Nelson Ceaser | Jonathan Sutherland | Lance Boykin | Joshua Onujiogu | Patrick O'Connell |Jack Westover | Raiqwon O'Neal | Tyler Mabry | Dareke Young | Tremayne Anchrum | DJ James | Artie Burns | Kenny McIntosh | Myles Adams | Dee Eskridge | Stone Forsythe | Tyrice Knight | Jerrick Reed II