Latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft Connects Bears to a Fix at One of Their Thinnest Positions

A new 2026 NFL mock draft projects the Bears to address a looming roster issue at No. 25, and the logic behind the pick fits Chicago's offseason reality.

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The Chicago Bears don't need a mock draft to tell them where one of their biggest problems lies. But the latest first-round projection from The Big Lead puts a spotlight on it anyway.

With the No. 25 overall pick, The Big Lead's Jeff Risdon has Chicago selecting Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, a safety whose versatility and experience align with what GM Ryan Poles could be looking for after free agency raids the Bears' defensive backfield.

"Thieneman proved at Oregon, and Purdue before that, to be a do-it-all safety capable of playing single-high or either role in a split safety look," Risdon wrote. "Given Chicago’s current safety situation, he’s an easy projection. Chicago doesn’t currently have a single safety under contract on the active roster entering free agency. "

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That last sentence is the key. This pick isn't about the player as much as it is about the Bears' expected need. Both Kevin Byard III and Jaquan Brisker are set to become unrestricted free agents next month, and while Poles has expressed a desire to re-sign Byard, there's a chance that Chicago could lose both of its starters.

To make matters worse, the roster currently doesn't have any safeties under contract for 2026.

So, yeah. Safety is a very real first-round possibility.

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Whether Thieneman ultimately becomes the pick is beside the point in February. What matters is the message behind this 2026 mock draft. Safety is a top priority for the Chicago Bears. In fact, it could become the team's most pressing need, and the NFL Draft may be the only way to address it.

As the 2026 NFL Mock Draft season rolls on, expect the Bears to keep getting linked to safeties with grades better suited for the second round who get pushed up to No. 25 because of their glaring need.

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