Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen saw four of his secondary starters depart in free agency, leaving a ton of questions about how the unit will look in 2026.
Key starters like Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, Nahshon Wright, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson signed with other teams, but they were able to properly address the safety position with the additions of Coby Bryant in free agency and Dillion Thieneman in the NFL Draft. That helped the Bears move up in ESPN's power rankings from 11 to 9, with Bears reporter Courtney Cronin explaining why Chicago's safety position was the most improved this offseason.
"The Bears revamped their back seven this offseason, particularly at safety. Once Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker left in free agency, the team's biggest splash came by signing Coby Bryant to a three-year, $40 million deal. One month later, Chicago used the No. 25 pick on Oregon's Dillon Thieneman. The Bears lost Byard's league-leading seven interceptions, but they got younger, rangier and faster on the back end this offseason."
Bears moving up in the power rankings thanks to their safety position
There's plenty of reason to get excited about Bryant and Thieneman in the secondary for the upcoming season. Bryant is stellar in pass coverage, who is smart and instinctive about where to go before the ball is thrown. Thieneman is versatile as he can play in the box and drop back to cause havoc in pass coverage.
Byard and Brisker were turnover machines that no one can deny, but they had their flaws. Both were just too inconsistent in their coverage, which resulted in big pass plays being allowed downfield. Chicago's defense struggled from its own 20-yard line to the opponent's 20-yard line because of explosive plays stemming from issues in the Bears' secondary.
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Adding Bryant and Thieneman should help resolve that issue and alleviate pressure on the defensive line and corners. There's no doubt the safety position is in great shape for at least the next three years in Chicago.
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