The Chicago Bears drafted Dillon Thieneman with the full knowledge that it might take time for him to settle in. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s defense is notoriously difficult to learn. Plus, safety in the NFL is one of the more challenging positions to teach. Nobody would begrudge the 25th overall pick for starting slow. For the first two weeks of training camp, it looked that way. Thieneman always appeared a half step behind and was consistently abused by tight end Colston Loveland in drills.
Well, apparently, people forgot one thing about the young safety. He learns fast. This is the same kid who had 6 interceptions as a freshman in college. Based on reports coming out of Halas Hall, Thieneman saved his best practice for the last day of training camp. Nicholas Moreano of Roundtable and Gregg Braggs of CHGO shared details on what transpired. Suffice to say, there was no escaping the rookie’s presence. It didn’t matter if the Bears’ offense ran the ball or threw it deep. The safety was always there.
“Dillon Thieneman had his best training camp practice of the summer. The Bears’ first-round draft pick played fast and displayed tight coverage, especially in the 7-on-7 period. Thieneman closed on an out route from Colston Loveland, forcing an incomplete pass towards the left sideline.
He showed his straight-line speed, covering a deep vertical pass from Caleb Williams downfield. In the Bears’ 7-on-7 period, Williams completed 1 of 6 passes, and the rookie safety played a huge part in that result.”
Dillon Thieneman has risen to the challenge.
Don’t forget he wasn’t supposed to be the one who took the lead this year. He was supposed to play the wingman to Coby Bryant on the back end, following the Super Bowl champion’s lead. Unfortunately, that plan went pear-shaped when Bryant injured his knee early in camp, necessitating surgery. He’s out for the next two months. Since then, the Bears have been trying to find an adequate replacement, either with Cam Lewis or the recently signed Xavier Woods. Regardless of who they choose, it puts more pressure on the 1st round pick to step up.
It appears Dillon Thieneman has answered the bell. With Bryant’s guidance, he has quickly improved his ability to read and react at NFL speed. As that has happened, his elite athleticism has taken over. Thieneman’s ability to cover so much ground makes him such a headache to deal with. Windows that would be open for a couple of seconds now shut quickly. Unless you’re on time and on target, he will make you pay. Thieneman might not be a star by any means, but it’s apparent that he is learning fast.
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The vision is becoming clear.
It was hard for some to understand why the Bears willingly blew up their safety position from last season. After all, Kevin Byard had 7 interceptions, and Jaquan Brisker was a more than solid utility player. The answer was simple: not enough speed. Byard no longer had the range he once did, and Brisker had never been known for covering ground quickly. Allen wanted more speed on the back end, helping him to constrict throwing windows and limit big runs. As Thieneman improves, you start to see why that was a priority.
When head coach Ben Johnson mentioned safety as one of the positions he was concerned about as the season approached, the rookie was not mentioned. The implication was clear. The Bears don’t see him as the problem. It’s the other spot. That is about the highest praise Johnson can offer a player. Things won’t be perfect right away. Thieneman will have bad games this year. They just might not be as numerous as some feared, which is a major boon for the franchise.
