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Sports Friday, April 24, 2026 | | |
| | | | | Good mornng, Chicago. The best player on the Bears draft board intersected with what has been a clear need
all offseason, which ought to provide a world of options for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. The Bears chose Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman with the 25th pick in the NFL draft, the first time they've drafted a safety in Round 1 since Mark Carrier in 1990. Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman poses after being chosen by the Bears with the 25th pick of the NFL
draft Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (Gene J. Puskar/AP) Thieneman projects to be a Day 1 starter alongside Coby Bryant, the biggest free-agent pickup the team made in March. With Thieneman, who was timed in the 40-yard dash at the scouting combine at 4.35 seconds, it's a brand-new look on the back end. One of the things the Bears talked about shortly after the season ended was a desire to get more speed on defense. That box was checked Thursday night. Today’s eNewspaper edition | Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History | | | | The Chicago Bears have three picks during Day 2 of the NFL draft Friday. Here are 25 players they could consider in the second round. | | | | | The Chicago Bears’ selection of Dillon Thieneman immediately bolsters a secondary that was depleted during free agency. | | | | | Blown late lead? Another closer goes down? A rat in da kitchen? The Chicago Cubs don’t sweat the small things, as evidenced by their ninth straight victory. | | | | | The Chicago Cubs have weathered the early-season injury storm and produced a nine-game winning streak, their longest since 2016. | | | | | The Chicago White Sox displayed power throughout the series vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks, with Andrew Benintendi hitting the game-winner Thursday. | | | | | Chicago White Sox left-hander Noah Schultz called his first week-plus in the majors a “dream come true.” | | | |
