As the 2026 NFL Draft rolled on in the first round, it became clear that the Chicago Bears were going to have the option to land a safety at No. 25 if they wanted to.
With the Bears still in need of defensive line help but in possession of two second-round draft picks, it would seem they'll be able to find someone. It could be more difficult than imagined and might take GM Ryan Poles moving up in the round to accomplish. They're buried way back in the round at No.
The Chicago Bears started off the 2026 NFL Draft with a bang. With the No. 25 overall pick in the first round, they came away with a steal in the form of Oregon Ducks standout safety Dillon Thieneman.
The Chicago Bears took safety Dillon Thieneman with the No. 25 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, addressing a significant issue of need after losing two starters at the position in free agency, Kevin Byard III and Jaquan Brisker.
The Bears knew they needed to add another starting safety opposite the prize of their free agency class, Coby Bryant. With this year's class featuring a loaded group of safeties, many thought they could afford to wait to address the position.
Teams are finalizing their Big Boards with much of NFL free agency in the rearview mirror. There's a look at the least first-round mock draft as of April 8, 2026.
We know Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles' history points to the likelihood that he's going to trade down rather than up, but Poles might need to go the opposite direction on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Chicago Bears got themselves potentially the steal of the first round of the NFL draft. Chicago selected Oregon defensive back Dillon Thieneman with the 25th overall pick.
The Chicago Bears have officially found the final piece to retool the safety position after drafting Dillon Thieneman and the team’s new safety duo gives Dennis Allen a huge advantage for how he schemes up the defense.
We are now entering Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday and the Chicago Bears will look to build on what was a strong Day 1. Chicago didn't come away with an edge rusher, but the Bears did get themselves a fantastic defensive fit in Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, who will fit like a glove in Dennis Allen's defense.
Dillon Thieneman, especially after an outstanding 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, didn’t expect to fall out of the top 20 picks. Many insiders had him going closer to the top 10, right behind Caleb Downs, for high-impact safeties.
The Chicago Bears made a big splash on Thursday night, pulling off the biggest Round 1 heist of the 2026 NFL draft by selecting Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, who had been widely expected to go much earlier in the draft.
NFL prospects from major programs get most of the attention, but there are numerous examples of players drafted from small schools who have become difference-makers.
The Chicago Bears and general manager Ryan Poles put together a strong first round 2026 NFL Draft performance. When all was said and done, they were able to land Oregon standout safety Dillon Thieneman to shore up the defensive secondary.
The Chicago Bears got themselves an absolute playmaker at safety. Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson decided to add an instant starter for Dennis Allen’s defense, drafting Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman with the 25th overall pick of the 2026 NFL draft.
The first night of the 2026 NFL draft was a hectic one, with plenty of trades and surprises for all. One of the most surprising picks came at No. 25, when the Chicago Bears pulled off the biggest Round 1 heist by selecting Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman.
The Chicago Bears enter into Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft with three more Top-100 selections and general manager Ryan Poles could look to move around the board on Friday night.
The Chicago Bears marked an important day in the offseason on Thursday. This came in the form of the 2026 NFL Draft, which, as usual, produced more than a few surprises throughout the evening.
Confetti was still floating through the air at Soldier Field, the NFC North banner newly raised above the crowd. In the middle of it all stood Caleb Williams, the Bears’ franchise quarterback, calling the moment just a starting point.
The Chicago Bears absolutely crushed their first-round pick of Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman in the 2026 NFL Draft. Sure, he might not have been the edge
The Chicago Bears successfully navigated the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night, with the team making the selection of Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman.
The first round of the 2026 NFL draft is over, and it was a doozy with plenty of trades and shocking picks. The Chicago Bears' selection of Dillon Thieneman ended up being one of the best picks of the night.
Oregon Ducks Safety Dillon Thieneman was drafted No. 25 overall by the Chicago Bears in the 2026 NFL Draft. The star safety is the No. 2 player at his position behind Ohio State’s Caleb Downs.
The Chicago Bears landed a steal with the 25th overall pick in the first-round of the 2026 NFL Draft by ending the slide of Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman to pair with Coby Bryant.
With first-year HC Ben Johnson and Williams leading the charge, the Bears became one of the top positive surprises in 2025 before Chicago suffered a brutal loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round of the playoffs.