Can the Chicago Bears Draft Their Safety of the Future in 2026?
Following a successful 2025 season, the Chicago Bears are exploring ways to retool their roster and build on their success. The area that is seeing the most change is the secondary, as they lost both starting safeties and key depth players. One of Chicago's first moves of the offseason was bringing in safety Coby Bryant. There is a ton of excitement about what he will bring to the team, but the Bears are still lacking another starting safety. With this in mind, and with very little cap space, they will now be turning to the 2026 NFL Draft to fill that hole.
Chicago is set to enter the draft with the 25th overall pick. There are many routes the team can go, as there are concerns on both the offensive and defensive lines. However, the secondary was one of the weakest positions for the team last year. Currently, the Bears have most of their top cornerbacks returning, and with the addition of Bryant, they have been able to fill in most of the secondary. One of the most popular names that have come up in mock drafts to fill this need is Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman.
Thieneman had a successful collegiate career, spending two seasons with Purdue and then this past season with Oregon. In those three years, he played a total of 39 games. The 21-year-old recorded a total of 306 tackles and eight interceptions. He is a strong athlete and offers a great combination of speed and strength. Thieneman is also a strong tackler and never gives up in pursuit of opposing players. Additionally, the former Oregon star possesses strong skills in recognizing routes and plays, which enables him to cover a majority of the field. His combination of speed, strength, and knowledge makes him a great fit for the system that Dennis Allen runs in Chicago.
Unfortunately, the Bears are not the only team in the race for Thieneman. His name has been very popular as he is a lock to go in the first round, especially with the number of teams that could use talent in the secondary. For example, the 21-year-old's name has been linked heavily to the Minnesota Vikings, who have the 18th overall pick. He is a perfect fit for the team and would elevate the secondary immediately. Due to the Bears' late pick, there is a very real possibility that Thieneman may not be there on the board for Chicago. However, the draft is difficult to predict, and if he is available, then the team should not hesitate to scoop him up.
Despite draft uncertainty, upgrading at safety remains a priority for the Bears. If a top prospect like Thieneman is available, he would bring needed impact and versatility to the defense. His skill set fits what Chicago is building and would be a clear upgrade over anyone else on the team. When combining him with Bryant, the team would have an elite duo for years to come. How the Bears address this need in the draft could be key to their progress in 2026.
