Ranking Dillon Thieneman’s Debut Among Bears’ Defensive First-Round Picks Since 2000

Dillon Thieneman was all over the field in the Bears' 59-37 win over the Carolina Panthers in their season opener. He was one of their few bright spots on the defensive side of the ball.

The Chicago Bears have historically become synonymous with bruising defenses and sub-par (at best) offenses. In many ways, their Week 1 victory is the antithesis of everything that Chicago has come to be known for. Their elite offense appeared to be in midseason form, and their defense lagged far behind.

Given the dichotomy between the Bears' offense and defense over the years, it's no surprise that 14 of their 22 first-round selections since the turn of the century have addressed their weaknesses on offense. Thieneman was their eighth first-round selection on defense since they drafted Brian Urlacher ninth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft.

Those selections have produced a mixed bag, with some players vastly outperforming expectations and others failing to live up to them. Their debuts have featured some interesting results over the years. Where does Thieneman's first game rank among his defensive peers?

8: Shea McClellin, 2012

Shea McLellin on the field — Aug 9, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears defensive end Shea McClellin (99) in action during the game against the Denver Broncos at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Stats: N/A against the Indianapolis Colts

Shea McClellin was a raw defensive end prospect from Boise State University when the Bears pulled the trigger on him at 19th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft. Many thought his size made him a more ideal fit as a 3-4 outside linebacker. Unfortunately, Chicago drafted the undersized edge rusher to play 4-3 defensive end (with Chandler Jones still on the board, mind you).

McClellin stumbled out of the gate to begin his NFL career. He failed to crack Chicago's defensive line rotation and didn't make a dent in the stat sheets in his NFL debut. To his credit, he had a quality performance the next week against Green Bay, racking up 1.5 sacks. To his detriment, that was his only solid performance of the season. He finished his rookie campaign with only 2.5 sacks and 14 tackles.

7: Brian Urlacher, 2000

Brian Urlacher on the field — Oct 30, 2005; Detroit, MI, USA; Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher runs down a play against Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Bears beat the Lions 19-13 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Photo By Matthew Emmons- USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

1 solo tackle against the Minnesota Vikings

Just as everyone expected, McClellin and Brian Urlacher are holding up the rear on this list... The ninth overall selection in the 2000 NFL Draft actually played safety at the University of New Mexico, and it took a few weeks to learn the ropes of the linebacker position. He had only one tackle in his debut against the Vikings in Week 1 of the 2000 NFL season.

He enjoyed his breakout performance in Week 3 against the Giants (when he racked up 13 tackles, including 11 solo tackles) and never looked back. Urlacher eventually won the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year Award for his efforts. He was far from the game-wrecker he became from day one, though.

6: Michael Haynes, 2003

Michael Haynes making a tackle — Sept. 11, 2005; Washington, D.C., USA; Washington Redskins RB Ladell Betts is pursued by Chicago Bears DL Michael Haynes during 2nd half action at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports Copyright © 2005 Geoff Burke | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

1 solo tackle, 1 assisted tackle against the San Francisco 49ers

The Bears had two first-round selections in 2003, and they used the first one to select Penn State edge rusher Michael Haynes. The defensive end contributed to their edge rusher rotation, but he had an underwhelming debut with only 2 total tackles.

Unfortunately, his rookie season didn't go much better for him. He finished the year with only two sacks and 21 tackles. That was a microcosm of his three years in the Windy City, as he never lived up to expectations with the Bears. Haynes started only four games and had a mere 5.5 sacks during that period. He was out of the league entirely by 2007.

5: Tommie Harris, 2004

Tommie Harris running onto the field — Dec 26, 2010; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris (91) takes the field against the New York Jets at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

1 solo tackle, 4 assisted tackles against the Detroit Lions

The Bears had much better fortune with their decision to draft University of Oklahoma defensive tackle Tommie Harris with the 14th pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. He began his career with a solid five-tackle performance against the Detroit Lions and stacked on it from there.

Harris finished his rookie campaign with an impressive 43 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 7 TFLs. He was the runner-up (to Jets LB Jonathan Vilma) for the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. Harris could've been an all-time great if injuries didn't limit his production later on in his career.

4: Kyle Fuller, 2014

Kyle Fuller attempting to knock down a pass from Sammy Watkins — Sep 7, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins (14) makes a catch against Chicago Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller (23) during the second quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

3 solo tackles, 2 assisted tackles, and 1 TFL against the Buffalo Bills

The Bears selected Virginia Tech University cornerback Kyle Fuller with the 14th pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Fuller was expected to provide an immediate impact, and that's exactly what he did. The rookie had a rock-solid performance against the Buffalo Bills in his first career game. He finished the contest with five tackles and a TFL.

He also became an early favorite in the Defensive Rookie of the Year conversation by intercepting two passes and knocking down two more the following week against the 49ers. Unfortunately, he couldn't build off the early momentum, although he still provided starting-caliber play. Fuller had an up-and-down career in Chicago, but the highs (two Pro Bowl selections) were far more impressive than the lows (Vic Fangio wanted his head on a platter throughout 2016).

3: Leonard Floyd, 2016

Leonard Floyd making a tackle — Sep 11, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans running back Lamar Miller (26) runs as Chicago Bears outside linebacker Leonard Floyd (94) defends during the first half at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

2 solo tackles, 4 assisted tackles, and a half-sack against the Houston Texans

Many were surprised when the Bears traded up two spots to select University of Georgia edge rusher Leonard Floyd with the ninth pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. The selection instilled fear that they drafted another 3-4 edge rusher to play out of position as a 4-3 DE. That formula didn't exactly work with McClellin, after all. However, Floyd provided much more promise out of the gate than his predecessor.

He had a solid performance in the season opener against Houston and built on it from there, finishing his rookie year with 7 sacks. Unfortunately, that was by far Floyd's best season with the Bears, and they moved on from him at the end of his rookie deal. To his credit, he did enjoy much more success after leaving Chicago. So that's good for him, I guess.

2: Roquan Smith, 2018

Roquan Smith getting a sack — Sep 9, 2018; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback DeShone Kizer (9) is sacked by Chicago Bears linebacker Roquan Smith (58) during the second quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

1 solo tackle, 2 assisted tackles, and 1 sack against the Green Bay Packers

Roquan Smith was expected to be the Bears' next great linebacker when they selected the University of Georgia product with the eighth overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. However, a contract dispute cost him much of his rookie year training camp, and he was on a snap count in his debut against Green Bay. That didn't prevent him from making his mark, though. He finished the contest with three tackles and 1 sack despite playing limited action.

Smith went on to stuff the stat sheets during his rookie season, putting up 122 tackles (including 7 TFLs), 5 sacks, and an interception. He remained one of the Bears' best players before they shipped him out of town ahead of the 2022 trade deadline. Smith has continued his high level of play with the Ravens.

1: Dillon Thieneman, 2026

Dillon Thieneman attempting to knock down a pass — Sep 13, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers tight end Mitchell Evans (84) is unable to make the catch while defended by Chicago Bears safety Dillon Thieneman (31) in the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

8 solo tackles, 2 assisted tackles, 1 pass deflection, and 1 QB hit against the Carolina Panthers

I mean, there's really no argument. Thieneman not only stood out from the rest of the Bears' defense, but he also had the best debut of his first-round peers. He led the team in tackles and looked the part against both the run and the pass. The 22-year-old earned a gameball for his performance and looked every bit like the steal many thought the Bears were getting when they pulled the trigger on him with the 25th overall pick.

Does the debut mean he's going to become a Hall of Famer like Brian Urlacher or a five-time All-Pro like Roquan Smith? Obviously not. The performance is a quality launching point, though. It's much better than the alternative where he struggled alongside the rest of Chicago's defense.

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