The Bears’ rookie class kept leaving fingerprints all over Sunday’s 2026 Week 4 win over the Jets, and the offense gave them plenty of room to show it off. Chicago rolled to a decisive victory, ran the ball 54 times, and piled up 492 yards of total offense.
Dillon Thieneman once again looked like the rookie setting the tone for the entire group. He led the Bears with 7 total tackles and continued to be the steadiest piece of the defense through four games. For a first-round pick, the production has been exactly what Chicago needed.
Malik Muhammad also kept building on his early-season momentum. He has started the last two weeks, and against the Jets he finished with two total tackles and a pass deflection. Unless Kyler Gordon takes the job, Muhammad looks positioned to keep that starting role, though Gordon’s status is still pending activation from the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list.
Zavion Thomas finally got a real chance to work in the return game, and he made it count. He handled all four kickoff returns for 70 yards, averaging 17.5 yards per return. His biggest runback went for 27 yards and helped set up a 9-play, 72-yard drive that ended with a Kyle Monangai touchdown and pushed the Bears ahead 20-6.
Sam Roush added a small but noticeable line to the box score, catching one pass on one target for eight yards. He was also charged with a holding penalty that pushed the Bears back and forced them to start deeper in their own territory instead of near the 20. On top of that, he was credited with the tackle that stopped Minkah Fitzpatrick’s interception short.
Jordan van den Berg saw rotational work and still managed to get home for a quarterback hit, even with the Jets running only 32 offensive plays. That kind of efficiency matters when snaps are limited.
Logan Jones and Keyshaun Elliot were also part of the game plan but did not record stats. Skyler Thomas finished with a special teams tackle assist.
Thieneman is clearly the rookie drawing the loudest attention right now, and for good reason. He’s taken charge of the Bears’ secondary when they needed it most. But the rest of the rookie class is giving Chicago something to work with too, and with the Bears sitting at 3-1 heading into Green Bay, there’s still plenty of time for more of these young players to keep stacking good Sundays.
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DAndre Swift Just Got A Bears Warning He Couldnt Ignore
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There are other warning signs, too, and they reach beyond one side of the ball. Clark Phillips III, acquired in a trade, still has not seen defensive snaps, and Garrett Bradbury has continued to deal with challenges up front on the offensive line. For a team trying to build on an encouraging start, the broader picture is starting to suggest that some of these names may not be around next season, even if the standings remain strong in the short term. [Read more 🡒]