Entering the 2026 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears had a few main positions of need, those being: Defensive line, safety, and offensive line. While Chicago did address all these positions of need in the draft, their highest draft capital was spent on safety Dillon Thieneman out of Oregon. A large majority of Bears fans loved the selection and believed that Thieneman would fit perfectly in the Chicago secondary alongside newly signed safety Coby Bryant.
Bryant was brought in during free agency to replace Kevin Byard, and following the selection of Thieneman in the first round, the Bears thought their safety problem had been solved for years to come. Of course, nothing would ever come this easy for the Chicago Bears, as Coby Bryant was carted off the field during Monday's practice and will be out 8-10 weeks. This leaves Thieneman as the top safety on the Bears roster, and the depth chart behind him is certainly a cause for concern.
Selecting Thieneman in the first round prevented a disaster
It was a guarantee that Poles would address the safety position at some point in the draft following Byard's departure, but what if the position wasn't addressed until round 3? What if the Bears prioritized edge rusher in the earlier rounds and put safety off until later? Chicago would then be looking at a safety room headlined by Cam Lewis and a 3rd round or later rookie to start the season, which is undesirable to say the least.
Obviously, the Bears had no idea that Coby Bryant would be sidelined 8-10 weeks to begin August, but there's no denying that having Dillon Thieneman on board at this time is a huge help in Bryant's absence. Cam Lewis will need to step up opposite of Thieneman, and Chicago should take a look at who's available on the market for depth as well.
Another cause for concern in the Bears secondary is Kyler Gordon's absence, which at this point has become a far too common occurrence. Having both Bryant and Gordon out at the same time is absolutely something to worry about, and it would be very surprising if the Bears didn't bring in a few free agents to workout. In the meantime, Thieneman must do even more than what was originally expected of him if the Bears wish to keep the secondary afloat heading into the start of the season.
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