One of the more surprising decisions of the 2026 offseason by the Chicago Bears was not retaining safety Kevin Byard. It was hard to understand. The guy had just snagged 7 interceptions in 2025, producing one of the best seasons of his career. One would think that is more than enough to earn him another year with the team. Instead, the Bears decided to let him walk in free agency, opting to go young at the position by signing 27-year-old Coby Bryant in free agency and drafting Dillon Thieneman in the 1st round.
Byard turned 33 in August. That, along with his diminishing speed, was considered the primary reason Chicago opted to move on. Some have speculated that the safety wanted out, eager to reunite with former head coach Mike Vrabel in New England. Byard quickly dispelled that idea when speaking to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. He made it clear that his initial hope was to stay with the Bears. However, attempts to engage the team on a possible extension weren’t reciprocated. While disappointing, there are no hard feelings.
In fact, Byard admitted that he believes the Bears did a really smart thing by drafting Thieneman.
“Once they signed Coby, I had to pivot. No complaints or ill will toward the organization. I loved my time in Chicago. Maybe the timelines didn’t match up. I think 31 (Thieneman) is a hell of a player. Under Dennis, I think he’s going to have a really good career.”
Kevin Byard can already see the truth.
He’s played in the NFL for a long time. Some pretty good teammates have flanked the man in that time, including Kenny Vaccaro and Amani Hooker. For him to offer unprompted praise for Thieneman like that feels pretty significant. It almost felt like an acknowledgment that the Bears made a smart call. Remember, he is a major advocate of Dennis Allen, believing the Bears’ defensive coordinator extended his career. Putting an elite physical talent like Thieneman under his guidance feels like a no-brainer.
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The results speak for themselves so far. Thieneman leads the Bears with 47 tackles and has added 1.5 sacks and an interception in his first 7 games. He’s been a major factor in almost every win the Bears have had this season. Pretty remarkable considering he doesn’t have Bryant there to help because of a knee injury suffered in August. Kevin Byard may feel a pang of regret at not getting the chance to play with the rookie. They probably could’ve made a fun pairing.
As always, the man is pure class.
It is the biggest reason fans love the man. He was a superb team leader during his short stint with the team and a key piece that helped them get over the hump last season. Without him, the Bears don’t make the playoffs in 2025. He will likely go down in history as one of the team’s folk heroes. Maybe not atop the mountain of franchise greats, but widely appreciated by those who watched him. If Thieneman ends up becoming a star, he’ll also have been among the first actual NFL players to acknowledge it.
There isn’t much time for him to dwell on the past. Byard is on a good team in New England. He should enjoy continued success despite the setback on Thursday night. It will be interesting to see how his prediction on Thieneman unfolds in the coming months. It took a lot to praise what was essentially your replacement like that. Byard remains the gold standard of class in the NFL.
