Seahawks 90-Man Countdown: CB Coby Bryant - Slot Turnover Machine

With the calendar flipping to July and offseason activities in the rearview mirror, the Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC later this month, officially ushering in the 2023 season.

To celebrate the new incoming season, we'll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, exploring best and worst case scenarios and what to expect from each player entering the 2023 campaign.

Coby Bryant, Cornerback

Height/Weight: 6-1, 198 pounds

2022 Stats: 70 tackles, four forced fumbles, two sacks

Despite receiving limited interest coming out of high school in Cleveland, Ohio, 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 despite playing with a fractured hand, he registered two interceptions and nine pass breakups. Over the next three seasons, with quarterbacks targeting him frequently due to the presence of future top-five pick Sauce Gardner opposite of him at the other cornerback spot, 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.

Thanks it part to underwhelming athletic testing at the NFL combine, Bryant fell into day three of the 2022 NFL Draft before the Seahawks selected him in the fourth round. After playing primarily outside corner at Cincinnati, the team slid in him inside to the slot during training camp and while he endured growing pains at a new position, he wound up playing 756 defensive snaps as a rookie, leading all corners in forced fumbles and allowing no touchdowns in his final eight games in coverage.

Best-Case Scenario: Far more comfortable with his surroundings playing in the slot, Bryant fends off several challengers for snaps in nickel and dime packages, including newcomers Julian Love and Jerrick Reed II, and turns in a strong sophomore season with two interceptions, three forced fumbles, and six pass breakups as a key contributor in a star-studded Seahawks secondary.

Worst-Case Scenario: After missing most of Seattle's offseason program with a toe injury, Bryant gets off to a slow start in his second training camp and struggles a bit in the preseason, leaving the door open for Love to steal many of his snaps from a year ago as a versatile third safety and limiting him primarily to special teams duty as a reserve cornerback in the regular season.

What to Expect in 2023: Predictably, Bryant dealt with some first-year woes adjusting to life inside in the slot, allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete 47 out of 61 targets for 483 yards, two touchdowns, and a 110.2 passer rating against him. But he made marked improvements as the year progressed, missing no tackles and allowing no touchdowns in the final eight regular season games, displaying the type of positive growth the Seahawks hoped for. He also demonstrated a flair for creating clutch turnovers, punching the football out with expert tactfulness.

Given his improved play in the second half and still limited experience playing inside, it would be a disappointment if Bryant isn't able to take a significant step forward in 2023. However, if he isn't able to elevate his game, defensive snaps could be at stake with Love's previous background playing in the slot and incoming rookie Devon Witherspoon's ability to slide inside putting pressure on him to perform if he wants to keep his job. Following a promising rookie season, he should be the favorite to retain the nickel job, but he will have to beat out worthy competition to keep the role.

Previous Seahawks 90-Man Profiles

Montrae Braswell | John Hall | Bryant Koback | Cam Bright | Jacob Sykes | Benjie Franklin | Tyjon Lindsey | Austin Faoliu | Kendall Randolph | Ty Okada | Patrick O'Connell | Arquon Bush | Chris Stoll | MJ Anderson | Noah Gindorff | Christian Young | Jalen McKenzie | Griffin Hebert | Lance Boykin | Jonathan Sutherland | Easop Winston | Greg Eiland | Mo Osling III | Jake Bobo | James Campbell | Jonah Tavai | Joshua Onujiogu | Holton Ahlers | Joey Hunt | Tyler Mabry | Isaiah Dunn | Tyreke Smith | Cody Thompson | Vi Jones | Cade Johnson | Joey Blount | Matt Landers | Jon Rhattigan | Alton Robinson | Artie Burns | Jake Curhan | Jerrick Reed II | Stone Forsythe | Mike Morris | Myles Adams | Dareke Young | DeeJay Dallas | Tre Brown | Cameron Young | Mario Edwards | Dee Eskridge | Drew Lock | Anthony Bradford | Jason Myers | Michael Dickson | Bryan Mone | Olu Oluwatimi | Phil Haynes | Mike Jackson