The Chicago Bears may not have to deal with the anxiety of a 24-pick wait on the first night of the 2026 NFL draft next week if they take the advice of one of the top NFL draft analysts in the business and trade up further into the first round.
Todd McShay, a longtime NFL draft and college football analyst and commentator, put out the fourth edition of his 2026 mock draft exercise on Wednesday, April 15, and took a bold approach with his projected Bears selection that could fit Ryan Poles’ philosophy.
In the mock, McShay projected a trade between the Bears and the Los Angeles Chargers in which Chicago would turn over the No. 25 pick and their fourth-round selection (No. 129) to move up three spots to No. 22 overall for Oregon star safety Dillon Thieneman.
Last season, the Bears allowed 61 completions of 20-plus yards (second most in the NFL) and 13 passing touchdowns of 20-plus yards (tied for the most), and four of their top five defensive backs in snaps — Jaquan Brisker, Kevin Byard, Nahshon Wright, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson — are now gone. McShay wrote in April 15’s Mock Draft 4.0.
“Thieneman brings the range and coverage ability to help clean up those numbers and fill a positional need immediately. He’s both the best player available on my board and the type of rangy, coverage-oriented safety that DC Dennis Allen wants.”
Dillon Thieneman Projects as Potential Pro Bowl Talent
GettyFormer Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman.
Thieneman is a logical fit for the Bears for several reasons, not the least of which is their need for another starter in the secondary. They signed former Seattle Seahawks safety Coby Bryant to a three-year, $40 million deal to replace Byard, but they still need to find someone to fill Brisker’s shoes, making the versatile Thieneman a great choice.
Thieneman was a three-year starter in college at Purdue (2023-24) and Oregon (2025), recording 306 total tackles and eight interceptions while wearing multiple hats for his respective defensive coordinators. He has elite speed and rare instincts that allow him to play either safety position or in the slot. He also has a high football IQ, something that showed up on tape in his playmaking but also emerged through his leadership.
As NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein put it, “Thieneman is an extension of his defensive coordinator, aligning and adjusting the secondary to motion and pre-snap shifts.”
For some analysts, Thieneman has the makings of a future Pro Bowler, especially if he finds a fit in a system that values his versatility — a system such as Allen’s in Chicago.
Will Bears Have a Chance to Trade for Dillon Thieneman?
McShay’s projection is a realistic one in terms of what would make sense for the Bears, both in terms of need and value. They would only have two Day 3 picks left (both in the seventh round) if they traded off their fourth-rounder, but it is a small price when they own two second-rounders and a third-rounder to address other critical roster needs.
The bigger question, though, is: Will the Bears even get the chance to trade up for him?
Thieneman has a good chance of falling out of the top 15 with Ohio State’s Caleb Downs expected to command the most attention at safety in the first round, but the doors fling open once Downs is off the board. The Minnesota Vikings are a prime threat at No. 18 with Harrison Smith’s future uncertain (and likely short-lived even if he does return).
The Carolina Panthers (No. 19) and Philadelphia Eagles (No. 23) could also eye him.
That could force Chicago to get more aggressive if the team is dead-set on Thieneman, who fits their defensive scheme better than just about every other safety in the class.
Instead of a trade with the Chargers, the Bears might find a move up to No. 16 with the New York Jets more palatable. It would allow them to leapfrog the most safety-needing teams in the second half of the first round and might not cost a whole lot more than a three-spot move to No. 22 would cost. Perhaps the Bears could even still package their 2026 fourth-rounder with a future pick to essentially give up the same current assets.
Either way, the door is open for the Bears to move around the order on opening night.
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