Mock drafts are flowing from everywhere, as most experts believe the Chicago Bears will be solely focused on selecting defensive players throughout the 2026 NFL Draft.
One of the positions of need for the Bears is at safety after losing Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard in free agency, but even with the signing of Coby Bryant, they still need another starter. NFL Draft expert Todd McShay actually has the Bears trading up with the Los Angeles Chargers from pick 25 to pick 22 to select Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman.
"Last season, the Bears allowed 61 completions of 20-plus yards (second most in the NFL) and 13 passing touchdowns of 20-plus yards (tied for the most), and four of their top five defensive backs in snaps—Jaquan Brisker, Kevin Byard, Nahshon Wright, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson—are now gone. Thieneman brings the range and coverage ability to help clean up those numbers and fill a positional need immediately. He’s both the best player available on my board and the type of rangy, coverage-oriented safety that DC Dennis Allen wants."
Todd McShay has Bears trading up to get Dillon Thieneman
Last season with the Ducks, Thieneman had 92 tackles, five pass deflections, two interceptions, and one sack. He was selected as a first-team All-American and first-team All-Big Ten selection.
His NFL Combine performance caught a lot of people's attention as he ran a 4.35-second 40-yard dash and a vertical jump of 41". Thieneman started to separate himself as a definitive first-round pick and potentially a top 15 pick after that.
The Bears have Cam Lewis as the other starting safety for the moment, but Chicago would love to have someone else fill that role. Thieneman would be the perfect starter for Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen back there in the secondary.
Read more: Mel Kiper Jr.'s latest mock draft has Bears hitting home runs in first two rounds
Trading up would be a bold move for the Bears, but general manager Ryan Poles has shown in the past that he's not afraid to pick up the phone, so it could happen.
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