Field Gulls
Was what Bryant did in his third season enough to keep him at safety? How much will he cost Seattle?
After being drafted in the fourth round and two years playing nickel corner, Coby Bryant’s role changed in 2024—and he responded in kind. Converted to safety, the Seahawks defender found a new identity in Mike Macdonald’s defensive system, demonstrating football intelligence, good field reading, and natural instincts for the deep play.
In this analysis, we explore how Bryant adapted technically to his new role, his key assets on the field, and how his season can be considered a turning point in his career.
Bryant was a standout in Cincinnati. He even won the Jim Thorpe Award the year he was drafted. It’s worth noting that his teammate, Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner, was the star player and didn’t win the award. Coby gained starting status, but in a role he had never played before: nickel.
It was a season of ups and downs, with forced fumbles and missed tackles. The following year, the Seahawks drafted Devon Witherspoon, becoming the team’s new nickelback, and Bryant was moved to backup. Lost and without a chance, he began the transition to safety in an attempt to stay on the roster.
The main technical changes involved:
Deeper angle of attack
Reading the QB and no longer exclusively the WR
Pedal and bail technique (controlled retreat) to maintain a wide field view
Transitions from coverage to fill against the run game
Instead of reacting to short routes in the slot, Bryant now had responsibility for the deep middle or the lateral third of the field, depending on the call. His transition was fluid thanks to his tactical intelligence—always playing with his eyes on the backfield without losing his sense of depth.
PFF data for safeties with at least 100 snaps;
Games: 15
Snaps as Safety: 651
PFF Defense Grade: 72.8 (27th);
Coverage Grade (PFF): 68 (32nd);
Run Grade (PFF): 79.5 (21st);
Pressures: 5 (24th);
Total Tackles: 62 (32nd);
Run Stops: 15 (41st);
Yards Given Up: 213 (64th);
Pass Deflections: 3 (27th);
Interceptions: 3 (12th);
TDs Given Up in Coverage: 1 (21st)
1. Zone Eyes:
He used eye reading on the QB, anticipating throws on crossing routes and corner routes. This resulted in six pass breakups and three interceptions in 2024, according to Pro Football Reference.
2. Shuffle Bail:
A technique in which he drops laterally in the zone to maintain peripheral vision. This movement prevented big plays on long 2nd down situations, where he prevented several deep connections.
3. Trigger downhill:
Bryant excelled at reacting quickly to defend the run game, making 28 solo tackles, 15 of which were defensive stops. His ability to recognize the run-pass option and attack short angles was essential against outside-zone attacks.
This trigger to sprint toward the opponent’s field is good, and not...
