After getting a game ball in his NFL debut, Chicago Bears rookie safety Dillon Thieneman has popped up as one of the top 10 contenders for Defensive Rookie of the Year according to ESPN. No other NFC North team has a player in the top 10 for Offensive or Defensive Rookie of the Year odds.
Thieneman had 10 total tackles, including eight solo tackles, as well as a pass defended in his debut against the Carolina Panthers. He only allowed two completions for 22 yards despite being targeted five times. Panthers quarterback Bryce Young had a 53.4 quarterback rating when throwing in Thieneman’s direction and also blitzed twice. Perhaps most importantly, Thieneman did not miss a tackle all game.
Overall, Thieneman was put in a difficult position after
Coby Bryant went down and Xavier Woods was unable to play. He was the undisputed top safety available for the game and he held up just like Chicago needed him to. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is also going to enjoy using him in exotic blitzes. That was something he did last season with safety Jaquan Brisker and it seems like Thieneman is going to fill that position nicely.
There are eight players who currently have better odds to win Defensive Rookie of the Year than Thieneman. At the top of the list is defensive end David Bailey who the New York Jets drafted No. 2 overall. Bailey had a decent NFL debut with four tackles including a sack.
Another player who currently has better odds to win Defensive Rookie of the Year is Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Mansoor Delane. He picked off Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix in the season opener, but sustained an injury and is going to miss some time which could affect his chances.
Among the top 10 contenders for the award, only two of them were drafted later than Thieneman - linebacker Jacob Rodriguez with the Miami Dolphins who had 14 tackles in his first game and linebacker Josiah Trotter with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who had a pick-six. Rodriguez currently has the fifth-best odds while Trotter has the tenth-best odds, just behind Thieneman. Both linebackers were drafted in the second round.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears' Dillon Thieneman in contention for Defensive Rookie of the Year
