Bears' Dillon Thieneman has quickly surpassed all rookies in 2026 NFL draft class

Dillon Thieneman has been everything the Chicago Bears could have wanted in a first-round draft pick. 

The Bears’ rookie safety finished the Week 4 game against the New York Jets with seven total tackles and was targeted once in the 23-12 win.

Thieneman leads the team with 30 total tackles and has been the Bears’ leading tackler in each of his games played. He hasn’t missed a defensive snap all year (202), and Pro Football Focus says he has allowed just four receptions on nine targets for 50 yards. His 44.4 reception % given up is the fifth-best mark in the NFL among safeties with at least 50% coverage snaps this season. 

The only safeties ahead of Thieneman are New Orleans’ Julian Blackmon (33.3%), Denver’s Talanoa Hufanga (33.3%), New England’s Craig Woodson (40.0%), and San Francisco’s Marques Sigle (42.9%).

Dillon Thieneman is impressing with Bears through four weeks

What’s been impressive about Thieneman’s production this season is that he’s not only acclimated quickly to defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s scheme but has done so despite having a rotation of teammates at the opposite safety position. 

Top free-agent target Coby Bryant was supposed to lock down that position while Thieneman learned his rookie year, but a knee injury during training camp completely derailed that plan, as Bryant is projected to miss four to six months with a hyper-extended knee. After the 23-12 win over the Jets, Bryant was in the Bears’ locker room and dapped up some of his teammates before leaving. He didn’t have crutches or any equipment assisting him with walking – a good sign for the Bears’ safety. 

Veterans Cam Lewis, Xavier Woods, and Elijah Hicks have also manned the safety spot opposite Thieneman. Regardless of who has played in the back end of Allen’s defense, Thieneman has played at a high level. 

A safety hasn’t won Defensive Rookie of the Year since 1990, when Mark Carrier won the award with the Bears. In 16 games played, he recorded 10 interceptions, five forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and 122 total tackles. 

With those stats, it makes complete sense why Carrier won the award.

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The Bears are just four games into their 2026 season, but if Thieneman continues to produce as he has and makes more impact plays, it wouldn’t be surprising to see his name among the best players in his rookie class by the end of the year.

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