The Chicago Bears never needed to think twice about the decision to draft Dillon Thieneman. They were surprised he was there at #25 overall in the 1st round. They expected him to go anywhere between #12 and #18. So for him to slip through the cracks was a major boon in their minds. Thieneman was easily one of the fastest and most athletic defensive backs in the entire class. On top of that, he had a well-earned reputation for being a student of the game. Usually, when those two things are combined, you get really good players.
For most of training camp, Thieneman has been going through the typical growing pains. He has bright moments and learning ones. Many of them have come at the hands of quarterback Caleb Williams, or more specifically, tight end Colston Loveland. However, the rookie hasn’t backed down. He got a measure of revenge last week during practice when he intercepted Williams during drills.
Anybody who knows the Bears’ quarterback understands how much he hates throwing interceptions. Things were going very well for him in Wednesday’s practice, dicing up the defense most of the way. Unfortunately, it ended with a splat when Thieneman got him again, this time during a do-or-die two-point conversion attempt.
Dillon Thieneman is living up to his reputation.
During his college career, the young safety developed a knack for game-changing plays in big moments. Two of them were to seal victories, one for Purdue and another for Oregon. It appears that ability hasn’t left him. The fact that he did it to Williams, even if it’s just in practice, tells you a lot. For all of his inexperience, the kid still knows how to get himself into the right position at the right time. It’d be one thing if Coby Bryant were doing this. He’s a veteran with Pro Bowl-caliber ability coming off a Super Bowl victory.
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Dillon Thieneman is a rookie who hasn’t even played a game yet. For him to give Williams problems like this only confirms the team’s original assessment. He is a great talent with a bright career ahead of him. Coaches have been careful with their praise thus far. They know the rookie must learn to stay focused at all times. You can’t get too high or too low in this league. Let him enjoy the big play, but then move on to the next series. Do this over and over again until the game is won.
Everything is progressing as hoped.
Thieneman is in a tough spot. He was supposed to run wingman to Bryant, learning from the veteran along the way. Instead, Bryant is out for two months with a knee injury. That means the rookie must handle several challenges on his own. Maybe Xavier Woods, the team’s recent signing to replace Bryant, can help. Still, it feels like the Bears must lean on Thieneman to grow up quickly. There isn’t much choice. Both he and the team have been dealt a difficult hand.
Don’t expect the safety to complain. Despite the hard work and the shenanigans from teammates, Thieneman has remained steadfast in his approach. Work hard. Study hard. Play hard. If he does that, the results are usually good. Wednesday was only the latest example. Bears fans should be excited. Getting updates like this is very encouraging, especially for this coming season and beyond.
