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CHICAGO (WLS) — On Thursday night, the Chicago Bears made a significant move by choosing Dillon Thieneman, a safety from Oregon, as the 25th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Thieneman, originally from Indiana, also showcased his skills during his time at Purdue.
At Soldier Field, a buzz of excitement filled the air as Bears enthusiasts were eager for the team to bolster their already impressive lineup with a key addition.
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Thursday night saw Soldier Field transform into a hub of football festivities, hosting a draft watch party that celebrated all things gridiron.
Chicago fans warmly welcomed Thieneman’s selection, recognizing the need to reinforce the Bears’ defense, and expressing optimism about the impact he could bring.
Fans at the watch party had a chance to get an autograph from current and former players, like Anthony “Spice” Adams and D’Marco Jackson.
“Get to the playoffs and win. Super Bowl,” Adams said. “Why not? Why not us?”
The draft is ushering a season of high expectations after the Monsters of the Midway nearly made it to the NFC championship game last season.
“Optimistic,” Bears fan Vanessa Linares said. “I think we had a great last season, and I’m hoping that we can push the boundaries even more and farther this year.”
“We finally got a good coach,” Bears fan Phil Better said. “We finally got a good QB, and I Iove our GM.”
On a postcard perfect night. at Soldier Field, fans also weighed in on the Bears stadium race between Arlington Heights and Hammond, Indiana.
“Arlington,” Bears fan Eri Abdiel said. “Indiana’s a little bit… they got Indianapolis Colts.”
“Go to Arlington. I can’t imagine the Bears in Indiana. No, no chance,” Bears fan Acy Binford said. “Arlington. Forever, for now, whatever.”
In fairness, ABC7 was not able to find a lot of fans here from Northwest Indiana who might have had a different opinion. Fans here were unified, however, in saying this team has Super Bowl potential.
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When it comes to choosing a direction in the NFL draft, the Chicago Bears have some flexibility. And if they can replicate last year’s success, they’ll really be in good shape.
“We feel prepared. We put in the time,” general manager Ryan Poles said on Tuesday. “When we’re on the clock, I’ve got a ton of confidence things are going to work out just the way we planned them to be. If things start to shift and move, we’re agile enough to make adjustments if that’s moving up, moving back, we’ll be ready for anything that comes our way.”
The Bears have seven picks in the draft as they try to build on a breakthrough season.
Chicago went from finishing last in the NFC North to capturing the division championship with an 11-6 record in coach Ben Johnson’s first year. Quarterback Caleb Williams made big strides in his second season and threw for a franchise-record 3,942 yards.
The Bears advanced in the playoffs for the first time in 15 years by beating the rival Green Bay Packers in a wild-card game before losing an overtime thriller to the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round.
It was quite a ride for the team and the fans. A big part of that success was what happened on draft weekend, and the Bears hope to do it again.
Poles drafted four big contributors on offense last year. He took tight end Colston Loveland with the No. 10 pick, added receiver Luther Burden and offensive lineman Ozzy Trapilo in the second round and selected running back Kyle Monangai in the seventh.
Loveland led Chicago in receptions (58) and yards (713) and tied for the team lead in touchdown catches (six). Trapilo played in 14 regular-season games before tearing the patella tendon in his left knee in the wild-card win over Green Bay, an injury that is expected to keep him out for most of next season.
The speedy Burden had 652 yards receiving, and Monangai ran for 783 while forming a productive tandem with D’Andre Swift.
Can this year’s picks have a similar impact, particularly on the defense?
“Colston Loveland shows up every week,” assistant general manager Jeff King said. “Luther Burden shows up in big games at critical moments. Kyle Monangai carried the load when we had to lean on him. Right? That goes to more the character than the talent. And they’re really talented. So. Yeah, if it lines up like that defensively, sure. But we’re going to have to not lean on last year. We have to divorce ourselves from that success and start over.”
The Bears had just 35 sacks last season. Their only player in double digits was Montez Sweat with 10, and no one else had more than six.
Chicago also lost its top four safeties in free agency, including three-time All-Pro Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker. The Bears did sign former Seattle Seahawk Coby Bryant, but they could still use help there.
King said they won’t necessarily be drafting for need.
“If it’s equal, the need may come into play here or there,” he said. “But at the end of the day, you’re not going to go wrong by taking the best football player. I think we all agree with that.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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