Hello, Chicago Bears fans! We are now well past the first waves of free agency, and how the Bears will reshape their roster is beginning to come into focus. While it was presumed that the Bears would look to reshape their defensive line through free agency, it has, in fact, been the safety room that has undergone a radical change. Gone is Jaquan Brisker. Gone is Kevin Byard. Indeed, the only returning safety from the 2025 roster is Elijah Hicks. While Ryan Poles had expressed interest in resigning
Byard, he instead pivoted to Super Bowl champion Coby Bryant. But that’s just two safeties – they will need to either sign or draft at least two more. And those are not the only questions the Bears will need to answer about the 2026 roster as we continue in free agency, through the 2026 NFL draft, and into the post-draft free agency period.
So in my next few articles, I’ll take a look at the holes that still remain on this roster, first on defense and then on offense, and consider how they might address each of those holes. I’m going to start that process with the safety position.
Dennis Allen’s Defense: Safeties
As we study what Dennis Allen’s defenses have typically emphasized in terms of player profiles, some patterns emerge. Dennis Allen runs a versatile, multiple-front defense (primarily a 4-3 base with frequent nickel/dime sub packages, odd fronts, and heavy two-high safety looks). It emphasizes speed, aggression, disguises, man coverage, pressure from the front four (with some exotic blitzes), and physical, high-motor players who execute with discipline. He prioritizes versatility—players must handle run support, coverage, and stunts while fitting an attacking mentality. This is particularly clear when we consider the safety position.
One thing has become obvious as the Bears moved into the offseason: Ryan Poles is determined to remake the defense with players who fit Dennis Allen’s scheme. But what does that look like at the safety position? Allen wants safeties that are interchangeable – this is key to the kind of coverage disguises he wants to use. The traditional thumping box safety, paired with a rangy free safety, limits what Allen can do in late and on the snap coverage shifts. Particularly with the increasingly popular two-high safety coverage look, having two players at the safety position who can both come down in the box in run support and cover in the passing game is a big part of what Allen wants to do. We have already seen the Bears acquire a player who fits that profile, as they inked safety Coby Bryant to a $ 40 million contract. Bryant, a converted corner, brings the kind of speed that Allen wants on the back-end, but he can also come down into the box and hold up well at the point of attack. So who could pair with Bryant on the backend in 2026?
Options at Safety
Free Agent: Kyle Dugger. Dugger possesses elite athleticism at 6’1”, with a 4.49 40-yard dash, which means he fits the mold in terms of the speed profile the Bears are looking for, and he is a versatile player, as he has often been used in a linebacker-hybrid role. The big question with Dugger is what his contract would look like. Spotrac puts his market value at just under 6 million, so the Bears would have to restructure a couple of contracts to bring him into the fold.
Draft: Dillon Thieneman. Thineman wowed observers at the NFL combine with a display of high-end speed and athleticism. With a 4.35 40-yard dash, he is a plus, plus checkmark in the speed category at the safety position. He is just over 6’0” tall and 201 lbs – he would be a perfect fit in a Dennis Allen defense and provide exactly the kind of versatility the Bears are looking for to match up next to Coby Bryant. Before the combine, Thieneman was a fringe 1st-round prospect with most mock drafts having him go at the end of the 1st round and into the 2nd round. His performance at the combine may have changed that. It’s possible he won’t be there when the Bears are selecting at #25. They may have to trade up in the 1st round to secure his services.
Post Draft Free Agent (cut candidates): If the Dallas Cowboys draft Caleb Downs out of Ohio State, as some mock drafts have had them doing, Malik Hooker could be a prime cut candidate, as the team could save close to $7 million. Another possibility would be Brandon Jones of the Denver Broncos, who also would clear quite a bit of cap space in a post June 1st cut.
What do you think the Bears should do at the safety position? Tell us in the comments!
