The Chicago Bears landed one of the biggest steals in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft with former Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, who is the final piece of a revamped secondary.
Thieneman was the second-best safety in this draft class, where some even had him ranked higher than Caleb Downs, who was selected 11th overall. Thieneman is a versatile safety who possesses impressive speed (running a 4.35 40-yard dash) and is one of the best tackles in this class. He has elite instincts and playmaking ability that should make him a difference maker in Dennis Allen’s defense.
The Bears announced that Thieneman will wear No. 31 with Chicago, which just so happens to be the same number he donned while at Oregon and Purdue. The number was previously worn by Kevin Byard, who departed in free agency this offseason.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles explained what he loves about Thieneman, which includes his impressive speed, football smarts and versatility.
“Just the sense of urgency that he plays with, the speed,” Poles said. “We talk about taking the air out of the defense or out of the offense. His ability to close on the football, both in the run and the pass, stood out really, really quick. As we watched it, the comments you could hear: This guy is obsessed with football, plays fast. He’s extremely smart, great leader and violent in the way that he plays the game. Everything that we’re looking for. Then on top of that, you have some versatility. If he has to, he can go over and play a little bit of nickel. He can play free (safety). He can play strong (safety). Really good fit for what we’re trying to do.”
Thieneman joins a revamped secondary led by Super Bowl champion Coby Bryant, who signed a three-year, $40 million deal with Chicago in free agency. Both Thieneman and Bryant have speed and versatility, which makes them interchangeable for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears reveal rookie safety Dillon Thieneman’s jersey number
Reporting by Alyssa Barbieri, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
