When the Chicago Bears drafted Dillon Thieneman in the 1st round of the 2026 NFL draft, the excitement was palpable. Many felt the team had just secured the next Harrison Smith, a dual-threat safety with elite intelligence. Others felt he was another Jevon Holland, a very good box safety who had the athleticism to play coverage as well. Every comparison centered on standout safeties for obvious reasons. However, coaches at Oregon used him in such a way that the name they dropped was way more ambitious. They saw Brian Urlacher.
In speaking to Phil Thompson of the Chicago Tribune, Ducks defensive coordinator Chris Hampton broke down what Thieneman did for their defense. It was not the traditional role for a safety; it was more a hybrid of safety and middle linebacker.
The Ducks used Thieneman in a variety of ways, taking advantage of his quarterback-like field instincts and downhill speed. But he was primarily a field safety, a rover, in Oregon’s three-safety system.
“He would play a little bit when we got into ‘umbrella” coverage,” Hampton said. “He was what we call our ‘adjuster.’”
That means he played in the middle of the field, but he could cover the slot, too, and various other responsibilities.
“It’s like what the Bears did with Brian Urlacher — highlighted him,” Hampton said. “We (would) just deepen him up about 4 or 5 yards deeper and kept our safeties deep.”
In this context, the comparison is surprisingly valid. Urlacher played a similar role in Lovie Smith’s defense. He manned the middle of the field, attacking the line of scrimmage as a linebacker but also having the speed to drop into coverage. All the while, he’d be constantly reading the offense and making adjustments to counter it.
Dillon Thieneman is not Urlacher.
At least not, in the way everybody might be thinking. He is basically what would’ve happened if the Hall of Famer had more of a safety body than a linebacker body when the Bears drafted him in 2000. People forget Urlacher was a safety in college for New Mexico. However, he was 6’4″ and 258 lbs. Guys that big were made for linebacker, especially in those days. Thieneman is 6’0″ and 201 lbs. He is far more the traditional safety size. Essentially, he has Urlacher’s intelligence and versatility in the body of a safety.
🔥 Subscribe to the Untold Chicago YouTube channel to hear Chicago legends tell stories you’ve never seen in headlines — real moments, real experiences, straight from the athletes themselves.
Perhaps a more apt comparison would be Eric Weddle.
Often forgotten, the former six-time Pro Bowler was one of the best safeties of the 2010s decade. He was widely known for his athleticism, versatility, instincts, and intelligence. The guy was a true conductor of the orchestra. San Diego had a top 10 defense three times with him on the back end. Baltimore did it twice in three years when he signed with them. Then, just for good measure, he signed with the Rams late in 2021 and helped their defense hold three of four playoff opponents to 20 points or less. Dillon Thieneman has a chance to be the same type of player.
All of this reinforces the original point.
The Bears made a good draft pick. All teams strive to draft what they call “clean” prospects. These are players who check almost every box and don’t have many glaring weaknesses. Thieneman falls into that category. Athleticism? Check. Size? Check. Production? Check. Intelligence? Check. Any concerns raised by experts leading up to the draft were minor. This doesn’t mean the young safety is guaranteed to become a great player. It is that his odds are much more favorable than those of typical prospects.
What we know for sure is that Dennis Allen’s defense tends to be at its best when it has a player like him on the back end. You saw it briefly with Brian Dawkins in Denver, and then with Malcolm Jenkins and Tyrann Mathieu in New Orleans. There is a reason Chicago felt so comfortable taking Thieneman. Players like that tend to become multipliers on the field, having an impact beyond just their position. It was that way with Urlacher.
