Why The Bizarre Dillon Thieneman Panic Is Overblown

The Chicago Bears 2026 draft class has been settling into their first NFL training camp over the past week. Fans are excited to see how they develop. The obvious question on everyone’s lips: Is anybody standing out so far? One must be careful answering that because there have only been three padded practices. That said, the name that has garnered the most buzz is surprisingly 6th round defensive tackle Jordan Van Den Berg. He’s already getting work with the starters in drill. While people are excited to hear that, a select few inevitably resort to the elephant in the room. What about Dillon Thieneman?

The Bears selected the young safety out of Oregon in the 1st round. One must assume that he should be the one turning heads at Halas Hall. Yet through the first several days, he hasn’t been mentioned much. Some are worried that he might be floundering. Based on recent updates, that isn’t the case. Thieneman is going through an acclimation period in Dennis Allen’s defense, which can be challenging for rookies. The safety often looked hesitant on several of his reads. However, head coach Ben Johnson has noticed a shift since Tuesday.

Coach Ben Johnson has noticed. When he watched film of Tuesday’s practice, he saw, for the first time, something closely resembling Thieneman’s college tape.

“You can see that play speed start to show up,” Johnson said.

Thieneman is still thinking too much. But Johnson thinks that he’ll begin to play more instinctively with more practice time.

Dillon Thieneman can’t be expected to click immediately.

Something to remember is that safety is a difficult position to play at the NFL level. The days of having a single role like coverage or run support are long gone. More than ever, safeties are expected to be hybrids of multiple positions. Basically part cornerback and part linebacker. That requires a significant mastery of their craft, which rarely happens right away. They need at least a month or two before they start getting it. Thieneman just completed his first week of training camp. Expecting him to tear it up was never realistic.

Truth be told, the history of 1st round safeties, like most things, is mixed. There are ones who were studs from the start, like Eric Berry and Earl Thomas, and those who took a few years to find their footing, and others like Minkah Fitzpatrick and Kyle Hamilton, who needed a year to get acclimated.

Thieneman will be fine.

This is not one of those prospects who come in super raw with nothing but athletic upside. Dillon Thieneman was lauded in college for his work ethic and excellent knowledge of the game. He studies it at a far deeper level than most players his age. Combine that with his wide array of physical tools and it’s only a matter of time before things click. The key for the Bears is not to press. They must let him develop at a natural pace. That means staying on him about details and letting him learn.

We saw last season how well this approach works. Colston Loveland and Luther Burden were hardly instant hits in 2025. Even so, the work eventually paid off. By the end of the year, they were arguably the two best weapons the Bears had. Thieneman can follow that same blueprint. As he gains experience through practice, his comfort level will increase.