I was ecstatic when the Chicago Bears selected Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman with the twenty-fifth overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft. It was a perfect marriage of the best player available and team need, and he should be a week one starter roaming the Chicago secondary for a decade.
ESPN’s Matt Bowen, a seven-year NFL veteran and Glenbard West High School (IL) alum, has been a staple on local radio and an ESPN analyst for over a decade. When it comes to breaking down secondary play, there’s no one better than him, so his latest article piqued my interest. He wrote up the best rookie team fits with their perfect landing spots, and one of his picks was Thieneman to the Bears.
With Thieneman and free agent signee Coby Bryant, coordinator Dennis Allen now has two interchangeable safeties with strong ball skills. Specifically, Thieneman’s speed and range to track the ball deep give Allen more flexibility in the game plan to move late or disguise from two-high shells.
Thieneman can also spin down at the snap to cut on crossers in Cover 2-Man or patrol the underneath zones. The Bears get an upgrade — and a scheme fit — here with Thieneman, who had eight interceptions in college.
Prior to the Draft, Bowen broke down some of Thieneman’s play, and you can check that out here.
The Bears may be rolling the dice when it comes to their pass rush, but the secondary could be improved over last year’s team.
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Bryant and Thieneman are a great fit for Allen’s scheme. Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon are seemingly healthy, and hopefully it stays that way. Nahshon Wright was a takeaway machine in 2025, but his overall play was erratic, which is ultimately why Chicago let him leave in free agency. The Bears will have a healthy competition for who starts at corner in place of Wright, with Tyrique Stevenson, Terell Smith, and rookie Malik Muhammad the early candidates.
What are your thoughts on Thieneman and Chicago’s secondary in 2026?
