The first round of the 2026 Draft couldn’t have gone any better for the Chicago Bears. The team was able to stay put at pick No. 25 and select a dream prospect in Dillon Thieneman, who was expected to be long gone before Chicago was on the clock. However, the team landed their safety, and didn’t have to sacrifice any additional picks to do it.
While Ryan Poles can be praised for his patience, the Bears' pulling off this move has more to do with the team’s decisions in front of them. There were quite a few franchises that could use a safety that passed on Thieneman, including teams in Chicago’s division. While those teams will have to live with that decision, the Bears will forever be thankful.
Bears can make several teams regret not drafting Dillon Thieneman
The team most closely linked to Thieneman throughout the pre-draft process was the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota was on the clock before Chicago, picking at No. 18. However, the Vikings made the surprising decision to select defensive tackle Caleb Banks. That was the first good sign for the Bears, and now they will get to deploy Thieneman twice a year against Minnesota.
Immediately after the Vikings were the Carolina Panthers, who were also projected to select a safety with the 19th-overall pick. They instead went with offensive lineman Monroe Freeling.
Next, the Dallas Cowboys, who already selected safety Caleb Downs, traded the 20th pick to the Philadelphia Eagles. Philly could have taken a safety since that is a need for the franchise, but with A.J. Brown seemingly on his way out the door, the Eagles went with wide receiver Makai Lemon.
From that point, the Bears were seemingly in the clear. Chicago watched an offensive lineman, two edge defenders, and a wide receiver come off the board in the next four picks, then selected Dillon Thieneman.
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Thieneman was the second safety off the board and should immediately boost the Bears’ secondary. The defensive back recorded eight interceptions and 10 tackles for a loss in his college career, and that shows off his versatility as a defender. Additionally, Thieneman is 6-feet tall, 201 pounds, and runs a 4.35 40-yard dash. Thanks to a few other teams, safety is now a part of Chicago’s defense.
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