How Coby Bryant worked his way back to regular playing time with Seahawks

by · The Seattle Times

RENTON — The topic of the interview turns to Sunday’s game at Detroit and Seahawks safety Coby Bryant interjects quickly.

“I’ve got some history there,’’ he says.

Good and bad.

In 2022, in the fourth NFL game he ever played, Bryant forced a fumble by Detroit receiver Kalif Raymond in the second quarter that was recovered by teammate Jordyn Brooks. That led to a Seahawks TD and a 24-9 lead in a game they would go on to win 48-45.

It was one of four fumbles he forced as a rookie when he served as the team’s primary nickel corner, earning the job after being taken by the in the fourth round out of Cincinnati. 

That tied him for third in the NFL in forced fumbles in a season in which he played 65% of the Seahawks’ defensive snaps, appearing to stamp himself as a fixture in their secondary for years to come. 

Fast forward about 50 weeks and the Seahawks and Bryant found themselves again playing in Detroit in Week 2 of the 2023 season.

After battling a toe issue throughout the preseason, Bryant was back as the team’s primary nickel corner, though with a tenuous hold on the job with the emergence of 2023 first-round pick Devon Witherspoon, who sat out Week 1 with an injury.

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Late in what turned out to be a 37-31 Detroit win, Bryant suffered another toe injury — this one on his other foot from the injury he’d battled all offseason.

“Just a freak thing, honestly,’’ he said. “But that’s part of the game and just got to continue to stay healthy.’’

That landed him on injured reserve, and during the eight games he missed, Witherspoon ascended to becoming a Pro Bowler, serving a dual role as the starting left cornerback in the base defense and the nickel when they added an extra defensive back.

Bryant returned to play the final seven games, but saw significant playing time only in a late win over Tennessee when Witherspoon was sidelined.

“It was very frustrating,’’ he said of his 2023 season. “But I just had to be here for my teammates and just continue to get healthy and keep working.’’

As the Seahawks head back to Detroit for a third season in a row, Bryant is again healthy. 

“Way better,’’ he says of how he’s feeling.

He also kept his promise to keep working, even if he’s had to learn just about every position in the secondary.

Bryant spent much of the offseason listed as a cornerback and safety with the team trying him at both spots, as well as seeing some snaps inside and outside at cornerback.

He started to transition to safety in 2023, in preparation for the addition of Witherspoon and the team trying to find a way to keep Bryant on the field.

The team’s depth at cornerback this year meant Bryant ended up playing mostly safety in training camp, eventually earning the last safety spot on the 53-man roster behind Julian Love, Rayshawn Jenkins and K’Von Wallace.

He played just one snap the first two games. But last week, with Wallace having missed time during the week because of a shoulder injury and a personal issue, Bryant found his way into the rotation playing 20 snaps — 19 were on passing plays as he generally played in five- of six-defensive back sets. Most came at free safety though he also played some nickel.

While Wallace’s injury provided the entree to playing for Bryant, Macdonald also said he felt Bryant simply deserved to play.

“If you’re doing a great job in practice and kicking butt, then we’re going to find a way to get you on the field,’’ Macdonald said. “Just speaks to Coby and his work ethic and keep working at it, hammering at it one play at a time. Let the production speak for itself, and we’ll figure out a way to get you out there.’’

All coaches, of course, preach the importance of practice in determining playing time. 

Last week seemed to show that Macdonald plans to live those words. Macdonald cited using Drake Thomas at weakside linebacker because of feeling he deserved a chance to play some due to his work in practice, as well as deciding to go with Anthony Bradford all the way at right guard.

The Seahawks had six defensive backs play 30% or more of the snaps against Miami, including Bryant and Wallace, who played 18 snaps.

“It speaks volumes for the coaches and how they feel about us and just us being versatile,’’ Bryant said.

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Asked what a player who isn’t starting has to do to earn playing time in practice, Macdonald said “doing the right things over and over.’’

Then he equated it to his own days as a baseball player at Centennial High in Roswell, Ga.

“I tell the guys, it’s like when I played baseball,’’ said Macdonald, who was primarily a third baseman and at one point was listed as a commit to Army. “I was a good fielder. Sometimes I couldn’t hit, and so I wasn’t in the lineup. It’s like ‘You want to play, Mike? You better hit the ball.’ So go out there and make plays and do it consistently. Then they can’t leave you out of the lineup.

“That’s just how it works. You stack enough of those in a row, then obviously it becomes undeniable and then we got to make room.”

Macdonald said he doesn’t consider it a challenge to carve out snaps for deserving players.

“I think if you shoot the guys straight on where they’re at and why their role is the way it is, they appreciate that,’’ Macdonald said. “It’s fun to give guys more opportunities. We want to create enough depth where if we are stressed at a certain position, you can’t wait for the next guy. Like ‘I can’t wait to see you play.’ That’s the feeling we want to generate around here. It’s not like ‘Oh, shoot. So and so’s got to play.’ I couldn’t wait for Coby to go out there in dime and see what he did. That was cool.”

Bryant hopes it’s the beginning of returning to a regular role with the Seahawks, and maybe this week writing a bit happier history in Detroit.

“It meant a lot (playing again Sunday),’’ Bryant said. “It showed I can help anyway possible, whether it’s special teams or whether I’m in certain package. I just want to win and contribute to the team.’’