When the Chicago Bears selected Dillon Thieneman with the 25th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, there was already going to be pressure. First-round picks are expected to contribute, and Thieneman was viewed as a player talented enough to compete for a starting role immediately.
But the circumstances around him have changed.
What was supposed to be a relatively normal transition into the NFL has turned into a situation where Thieneman may be asked to play a much bigger role than the Bears initially planned.
Chicago entered the offseason knowing it needed to improve at safety. The team signed Coby Bryant in free agency and then used its first-round pick on Thieneman, creating what looked like a promising new safety combination.
Then Bryant suffered a knee injury that is expected to keep him out for four to six months, which changes everything.
#safety
But the circumstances around him have changed.
What was supposed to be a relatively normal transition into the NFL has turned into a situation where Thieneman may be asked to play a much bigger role than the Bears initially planned.
Chicago entered the offseason knowing it needed to improve at safety. The team signed Coby Bryant in free agency and then used its first-round pick on Thieneman, creating what looked like a promising new safety combination.
Then Bryant suffered a knee injury that is expected to keep him out for four to six months, which changes everything.
#safety
2 months ago
