One of the biggest questions facing the Chicago Bears this offseason was what they were going to do at safety. The position was serviceable last season, but there were still concerns, especially with Kevin Byard getting older and Jaquan Brisker continuing to deal with injury questions. After the offseason and the 2026 NFL Draft, the Bears appear to believe they have significantly upgraded the room.
The safety room is ready to take the Chicago Bears further
In ESPN’s early offseason power rankings, the Bears initially came in at No. 11. Following the draft and the roster additions they made, they climbed to nine in the updated rankings. Courtney Cronin of ESPN specifically pointed to the improvements at safety as one of the biggest reasons for the jump.
That outlook makes sense when looking at how much the Bears invested into the position. Byard and Brisker combined to cost roughly $12.5 million on one-year deals. In contrast, Chicago signed Coby Bryant to a multi-year contract worth $13.3 million annually. That type of investment shows how highly the Bears value Bryant and what they expect him to bring to the defense moving forward.
On top of that, the team also added another safety early in the draft with Dillon Theineman. Many viewed Theineman as the clear-cut second-best safety in the class, and his draft position reflected that belief. The Bears now believe they have upgraded both starting spots at safety heading into the season.
The overall talent and upside of the room are easy to see, but there are still some questions attached to the group. Bryant has only played one safety role at the NFL level after originally entering the league as a cornerback. That means the Bears are still asking him to continue adapting and expanding his responsibilities within a new defense.
There are also normal rookie concerns surrounding Theineman. While he was highly regarded entering the draft, he still fell far enough to show that teams viewed him as less than a perfect prospect. Like most rookie defensive backs, there will likely be an adjustment period as he transitions to the NFL.
Because of that, it may take some time for the new safety room to fully come together. Chemistry and communication are especially important at the position, and both players are entering new situations.
Still, the upside of the room is much higher than it was a season ago. The Bears now have a younger and more athletic group, and that improvement is part of why expectations around the team have risen following the offseason.
In the updated rankings, the Bears trailed only the San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, and Los Angeles Rams. Even when removing the AFC teams from that list, Chicago still projects near the top tier of the NFC entering the season.
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