When the Chicago Bears selected safety Dillon Thieneman with the 25th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, it was clear that it was a great pick.
The first week saw Thieneman being more of a backup on the Bears' defense, but once he got into the starting lineup, he thrived. That got everyone excited, including Bleacher Report writer Kristopher Knox, who said to buy into the recent buzz around Thieneman.
"Thieneman will, of course, have to solidify a starting role in the coming weeks. However, he has all the traits and intangibles needed to be a legitimate difference-maker out of the gate."
"Seeing as how Chicago parted with 2025 starting safeties Kevin Byard III and Jaquan Brisker, Theineman should indeed have the inside track to starting alongside Bryant. And Bryant, a former Seahawks starter and Super Bowl champion, should help Theineman provide the sort of edge that the Bears' secondary has been missing."
Dillon Thieneman is going to be the real deal in 2026 for the Bears
Thieneman was great in college when he attended Purdue and Oregon. His key stats included 14 pass breakups, 10 tackles for loss, eight interceptions, and two forced fumbles. Pro Football Focus gave him a coverage grade of 90.5.
He is going to be a versatile weapon in this Bears defense, being able to do whatever defensive coordinator Dennis Allen needs him to do. Thieneman is going to be great in coverage against slot corners and tight ends, but don't be surprised if Allen puts him in the box to stop the run and rush the passer.
The Bears are going through quite the transformation in the secondary, with Thieneman joining free agent signing Coby Bryant in the hopes of replacing Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker. Bryant and Thieneman share similar traits: Bryant is more consistent in coverage, but Thieneman has a higher ceiling.
Where the two safeties are going to have to pick up the slack is with creating turnovers. This Bears team lost over 50% of the turnovers created last year by players who have departed for free agency, leaving the heavy lifting to Thieneman and Bryant.
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Training camp is around the corner, and it is only going to increase the excitement with Thieneman being on the field. If he is the same player as he was in college, the Bears are getting a dangerous player for their defense.
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