Is it possible for the 1st round pick of your draft class to play well in the preseason and somehow still barely get talked about? It appears Dillon Thieneman confirmed that hypothesis as he hasn’t been the story for most of the past month. That honor has gone to defensive tackle Jordan Van Den Berg, who was wrecking opposing offensive lines throughout the preseason. It’s a shame, too, because Thieneman showed multiple flashes of why the Bears drafted him in the first place. It was certainly no different in the preseason finale.
During the first half, the Tennessee Titans dialed up a deep shot to their prized 4th overall pick, Carnell Tate. The rookie managed to get around cornerback Josh Blackwell and had a step on him heading towards the end zone. It was then that Thieneman streaked into the picture, covered up Tate, and managed to prevent the catch. That singular play was a full reminder of why the Chicago Bears wanted him so much. Thieneman has top-tier speed, which allows him to erase throwing windows much faster than most safeties can. It was something the defense didn’t have last season.
This illustrates why Dillon Thieneman was so coveted.
Safeties capable of doing stuff like that are much rarer than you think. Lots of cornerbacks have makeup speed. It’s a necessity of the position. Usually, if a safety is beat, he stays beat. Not Thieneman. That 4.3 speed he demonstrated at the scouting combine is no joke. This wasn’t some scrub he was forced to cover, either. That is a #4 overall pick. Guys like that have premier talent. If you can hang with them during a play, you can hang with pretty much everybody.
Few are happier about this than Dennis Allen. Having somebody like that on the back end of your defense is incredibly valuable. Now he knows the deep coverage will be safer with Dillon Thieneman on the field. In those situations, Allen can get more aggressive with his play calling. He won’t have to stay in high shells to protect against the deep ball. Thieneman has the range and instincts to carry wide receivers deep without help. That frees up another defender to attack the quarterback.
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This young man has the ideal mindset.
Some rookies come in with loads of fanfare and the confidence to match. Others arrive quietly, focused on working hard every day and applying their craft. Thieneman clearly falls into the latter category. He is anything but outspoken. You’ve barely heard two words from him outside of mandatory press conferences. Everything has been about football since he arrived in April. It’s no wonder Coach Johnson loves him. The safety is a grinder. This team lives for players like that.
Thieneman won’t be the main centerpiece of the defense this year. He still has plenty of growing up to do. Still, it feels like he may have a greater impact on the season than people think. The talent was never in question. What stands out is how quickly he’s adjusting to the speed of this level. Given how hard he studies, it may not take him long to learn the game of chess. Such an outcome couldn’t be better for the Bears.
