The Chicago Bears were ecstatic when they managed to land Dillon Thieneman in the 1st round of the 2026 draft. They felt the Oregon safety had a rare mix of physical tools and cerebral intelligence that had the makings of a really good NFL player. It is why they had no qualms about instantly inserting him into the starting lineup when training camp began. Things have gone pretty well so far. The rookie has made some strong plays against the run and secured his first interception of Caleb Williams. However, it has come at a price, courtesy of Colston Loveland.
Thieneman has frequently been at the mercy of the tight end. Fans and media have watched him make one catch after another against the young safety in drills. The mismatch has been glaringly apparent. Some have wondered if this is a bad sign with Thieneman. Bears general manager Ryan Poles takes the opposite view. He believes the rookie is getting a great education about what to expect when the team starts playing actual games. If Thieneman can learn to play Loveland tougher, there is nobody in the league who will scare him.
Colston Loveland is giving Thieneman the education he needs.
Think of it this way. Would you rather the 1st round pick get these lessons from somebody on Sundays in a game or on the practice field where the end results don’t matter? The answer is obvious. Better the rookie get his education in a safe atmosphere rather than in front of 70,000 screaming fans. Besides, it’s not like Thieneman has looked completely lost in those matchups. As Poles pointed out, the rookie is often in great coverage. The problem is, Loveland just keeps making great plays.
Great players do that to you. Poles himself said he expects Colston Loveland to be an All-Pro in the near future. All of the evidence over the past several months backs this assessment up. Actual veteran safeties couldn’t cover him down the stretch last season. Expecting a rookie who is learning a new defense to have the answers is ludicrous. Besides, the Bears have made it a point to draft players they believe are mentally tough. If Thieneman loses confidence from a few tough practices against Loveland, somebody badly misevaluated him.
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The Bears will not waver in their belief in Thieneman.
Part of that is because they know his talent and trust his work ethic to improve. Another part is that they don’t really have a choice. Injuries have slammed the safety position in camp. Elijah Hicks started on the PUP list. Now Coby Bryant is out for upwards of six months with a knee injury. This forced the team to bring in veteran Xavier Woods as an emergency option. With such instability, the Bears will need Thieneman to be prepared for the season. Often, the best way to do that is to put him through the wringer. Colston Loveland has been helping with that.
The sooner the rookie learns how to cover tight ends, the better his game will become. Everybody must go through their early lumps before they become the players they’re capable of being. Even Loveland had to pay his early dues last season. He didn’t start out dominating. It took him months to find that groove. Safety is probably a more difficult position to play as well. Give the kid time.
