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Bears Draft Thieneman, Add Jones, Sign Loving

4/28/2026

27 2 Full Breakdown

Summary

Bears Draft

Chicago Bears selected safety Dillon Thieneman with 25th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
They drafted center Logan Jones at 57th overall after Drew Dalman retired.
Coach Ben Johnson said the team was “smitten” with Jones.
On April 26, Chicago signed defensive tackle Jayden Loving, a Pro Day athlete.
Mel Kiper Jr. gave Chicago a “B” grade, praising Thieneman and Jones and calling 89th-overall pick Zavion Thomas a reach.

Summary

Bears Sign Bradbury

Bears signed veteran center Garrett Bradbury and kept rookie Logan Jones as a long-term option.
Chicago left the draft without an offensive tackle, trusting Braxton Jones and Jedrick Wills Jr. to compete while retaining Kiran Amegadjie.
Coaches highlighted Austin Booker’s development and noted Malik Muhammad’s competition for the starting outside cornerback spot, despite earlier injuries to Dayo Odeyingbo and Shemar Turner.

History

Historical Context

Since the NFL introduced its draft in 1936, the Chicago Bears have used 99 first-round selections, a tradition that began when future Hall of Famer Mike Ditka was taken in 1961. The pattern continued with the 2026 first-round pick of safety Dillon Thieneman, reflecting the franchise’s long-standing reliance on early draft capital to build a competitive defense.

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Bears Draft

Chicago Bears selected safety Dillon Thieneman with 25th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
They drafted center Logan Jones at 57th overall after Drew Dalman retired.
Coach Ben Johnson said the team was “smitten” with Jones.
On April 26, Chicago signed defensive tackle Jayden Loving, a Pro Day athlete.
Mel Kiper Jr. gave Chicago a “B” grade, praising Thieneman and Jones and calling 89th-overall pick Zavion Thomas a reach.

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