The Chicago Bears were dealt a major blow to their defense before the season even began, with safety Coby Bryant being lost during training camp due to a knee injury that will sideline him for most of the regular season.
Bryant had been expected to pair alongside rookie Dillon Thieneman as the starting safeties in Dennis Allen's defense, but now Thieneman is working with two new veterans in Cam Lewis and Xavier Woods.
Thieneman will now be under the microscope for the secondary in his first NFL season, and has been using his time to learn his playing style with Lewis and Woods around him. Thieneman explained how he's prepared for the veterans who will work at safety alongside him this season.
"I feel very comfortable with them, both vets,” Thieneman
said. “They definitely have a lot of experience [and are] able to help me. I’ve been talking to them a lot just in the meeting room, like how they see things, and out on the field, we’ll talk once we’re on the sideline. I feel very comfortable and able to communicate and kind of anticipate what the other guys are thinking."
For what it's worth, the Bears' unofficial depth chart lists Woods as the starting safety alongside Thieneman, so the expectation is Thieneman and Woods will be the duo while Cam Lewis works at nickel cornerback.
Due to the injury that Bryant suffered, the expectations for Thieneman have been raised for the 2026 season, getting him around the right veterans as he adapts to the NFL level can only see him benefit from their knowledge and experience. It'll be intriguing to see how the rookie plays in Dennis Allen's defense, and how he may stack up among the other top defensive rookies in his draft class this year.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Dillon Thieneman on adjusting after loss of Bears safety Coby Bryant
