Chicago Bears Rookie Report: Who's Rising and Who's Falling After Week 2 Loss?

The Chicago Bears have been the football team embodiment of Jekyll and Hyde to begin their 2026 campaign. Their Week 2 performance against Minnesota was the polar opposite of their season opener in Carolina.

Sunday's 9-3 loss to their NFC North rivals came after a 59-37 offensive explosion the prior week. One score looks more like an MLB game, while the other could be the final of a rec-league basketball matchup.

Interestingly, despite the dichotomy, their rookie report card has remained awfully steady through the first two weeks. That is, with the exception of one far too noteworthy TE who hopefully won't be named again again this season.

Dillon Thieneman: Soaring

Dillon Thieneman making a tackle — Sep 20, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. (33) is tacked by Chicago Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (29) and safety Dillon Thieneman (31) during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Safety Dillon Thieneman has been everything the Bears expected and more through the first two games. Without him, they would've somehow given up 60 points against the Panthers in Week 1 and would've certainly been blown up by the Vikings on Sunday.

Aside from one big hit from Tyrique Stevenson against Minnesota, he's been the only second-level defender who have made any plays against the run through two games... and he's had to come up from the third level to do it. He's been an eraser in the secondary, and that's more than you can expect from a rookie with two starts under his belt.

Likewise, he's also thrived in coverage thus far. While he's still waiting to nab his first interception, it's only a matter of time before he crosses that off his bucket list. A+ addition thus far.

Logan Jones: Suddenly rising rapidly (only by association)

Logan Jones on the field — Aug 15, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears center Logan Jones (54) practices before the game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Center Garrett Bradbury enjoyed one of the worst games you'll ever see from an offensive lineman against the Vikings. He not only committed four penalties, but he was also a turnstile in both the running game and in pass protection. What's odd is the fact that it came one week after he helped the Bears run for 291 yards on the ground, with much of their success going up the gut.

Conversely, he helped Vikings first-round selection Caleb Banks get out of a rut that he's been in since landing in the Twin Cities on Sunday. Logan Jones didn't get a chance to help his stock, but the second-round selection will have a chance to win the job sooner rather than later if Bradbury repeats abysmal performance. The rook couldn't be much worse.

Sam Roush: Plummeting below Mariana Trench status

Sam Roush making a catch — Aug 22, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Chicago Bears tight end Sam Roush (87) makes a catch during the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We've said it once. We'll say it twice. We'll say it a billion times: The Bears should've drafted University of Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton here. He's already shown flashes for the 49ers, while tight end Sam Roush was the goat of the Bears' Week 2 loss against Minnesota.

Sure, Ben Johnson loves tight ends, and 13-personnel packages will be all the rage across the NFL this season, but Bears fans will experience nothing but rage if he ever receives three targets in a game again. Two drops, including a potential touchdown that happened three plays before Caleb Williams got hurt, and a costly penalty against the Vikings will go up in the rafters as one of the worst early-season rookie performances of all time. And he accomplished that feat in only 20 snaps...

His blocking hasn't even stood out as a strength, and that was the best asset coming into the league. It's still early, and he'll still have a chance to bounce back from the depths, but I selfishly hope he gets few opportunities to do so this season. Red-shirt year the rest of the way.

Zavion Thomas: Neutral

Zavion Thomas making a catch — Aug 29, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Zavion Thomas (81) makes a catch against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Zavion Thomas's stock couldn't have been higher following his 140-yard explosion in the preseason finale against Tennessee. He looked the part on offense and via the return game, where he had an impressive kick return and a VERY explosive 39-yard punt return, in that matchup.

He followed that performance up with zero offensive snaps in the season opener against the Panthers. While he at least saw three offensive snaps against the Vikings, he wasn't at all involved in the offensive gameplan on Sunday afternoon. With Kalif Raymond quickly developing into Caleb Williams' safety net, Thomas has his work cut out for him.

We like his odds of eventually contributing in some form, and we still think he can eventually become a valuable deep threat, but it's tough to put a timeline on that contribution window.

Malik Muhammad II: Soaring

Malik Muhammad making a tackle — Sep 13, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) is pushed out of bounds by Chicago Bears cornerback Malik Muhammad II (24) in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Malik Muhammad II is Bitcoin in 2013 (not quite peak, but rising rapidly), and we like to think we were that one forward-thinking techie friend who tried to put you onto it in 2011. Buy in now, before he becomes a household name. The fourth-round selection did his best Kyler Gordon impression when he ended a Vikings third-quarter drive coming off the edge with a sack.

While we like Muhammad's odds of eventually moving to the perimeter when Gordon's back in the lineup, it feels safe to assume that they're going to give every opportunity for Tyrique Stevenson (who, to his credit, was much better in Week 2) to lose his job than they will Gordon to reclaim his. Aside from Thieneman, Muhammad has been Chicago's best DB thus far this season. He's allowed a 27.5 passer rating despite playing a position that was foreign to him in college.

He's not coming off the field the rest of the season, regardless of who's healthy in the secondary.

Keyshaun Elliott: Falling/neutral

Keyshaun Elliott on the field — Sep 6, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils linebacker Keyshaun Elliott (44) reacts after a tackle during the first quarter against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Keyshaun Elliott in his Arizona State uniform... Because he's still waiting for a close-up in his Bears unis. Honestly, what's lower than the floor? Elliott didn't play in the preseason. He also didn't see any defensive snaps in the season opener or their Week 2 clash against Minnesota.

Elliott has only seen 53 special teams snaps thus far. With the Bears' linebacker corps playing awful football right now, there's a greater than 0% chance he might the field on defense this season. However, with him being buried on the depth chart, those odds are only slightly better than 0%.

Jordan van den Berg: Falling

Jordan van den Berg making a tackle — Aug 22, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Chicago Bears defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg (96) makes a tackle against Cincinnati Bengals running back Kentrel Bullock (31) during the second quarter at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Few players received as much preseason hype as sixth-round selection Jordan van den Berg. The Georgia Tech product showed significant flashes in all three of the team's preseason contests. Unfortunately, that potential has yet to translate to the regular-season action.

For now, the exhibition game-wrecker looks like a mirage. The 24-year-old has one tackle and no QB pressures, hits, or hurries thus far. He's coming off a nine-snap (the lowest total among all active Bears defenders) performance against Minnesota.

All things considered, Jordan van den Berg's stock might be dropping, but we're still not selling. You never sell low on an appreciating asset, and we still appreciate the idea of what we thinkhe'll be. The coaching staff took their time with the rookie class last season (a fact that can be applied to everyone on this list), and they might do the same this season.

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