4 Reasons the Bears Should Prioritize Re-Signing Darnell Wright This Offseason

There are a few reasons the Bears would be smart to lock in their right tackle for the long-haul before the season kicks off.

Nov 3, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Chicago Bears offensive tackle Darnell Wright (58) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Darnell Wright developed into one of the league's best offensive tackles last season. Despite playing the vast majority of the season with a torn ulnar collateral ligament, he had the best season of his three-year career and received a Second Team All-Pro nod for his efforts.

Ben Johnson praised Chicago's right tackle when speaking to the media on Tuesday. He specifically said Wright is the type of lineman that is enough of a stalwart to scheme plays around.

#Bears HC Ben Johnson on Darnell Wright:

“I think he’s one of those tackles that’s a powerful player and can displace guys off the line of scrimmage. When you have that available, that’s such a luxury that you really gotta be able to sink into it.” pic.twitter.com/gXt7RefMTw

— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) June 9, 2026

The Bears already picked up Wright's fifth-year option, and he's locked in through the 2027 season. He's clearly in their plans, and they probably hope that he'll stick around for the next decade.

Still, they need to be smart about his extension. The best way to approach those negotiations is by getting them done as soon as possible (or at least before the 2026 season gets underway).

The market is ever-evolving (and growing)

Dec 7, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr. (70) against the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Brian O'Neill and Ikem Ekwonu will both be looking for new contracts next offseason. Neither player has been better than Wright, but they could push the market higher than it is right now if they sign deals before him.

The same logic can be applied to Paris Johnson Jr., who was selected four picks ahead of Wright in 2023. Wright has outplayed Johnson through their first three years, but Johnson has been a rock-solid starter as well. The Cardinals are unfortunately a dumpster fire. They might have to overpay to keep Johnson around, and the Bears would be smart to lock Wright in before those negotiations heat up.

The smart front offices lock in their franchise cornerstones a year early. While the contrarian would point to Kyler Gordon as an example of why it might not be smart to do so, that's a much different situation than the one the Bears are in with Wright. He's only missed two games in his career and played nearly all of last season with a torn UCL. Gordon missed multiple games in each of his first three seasons.

Right tackle is just as important as the left side in today's NFL

Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (97) and Chicago Bears offensive tackle Darnell Wright (58) battle for the ball after Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) is forced to fumble by Hutchinson during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Gone are the days where the vast majority of defensive linemen line up on one side of the line. While players on the left side will always be paid slightly more (and prioritized in the draft) because they protect a quarterback's blindside, virtually every team's best defensive linemen line up on either side (or all over the formation) to take advantage of the most favorable matchups.

Teams need two quality tackles to succeed in the modern NFL. The left tackle position is still somewhat of a question mark with Ozzy Trapilo's status being up in the air, but the Bears clearly found their guy at right tackle. They need to prioritize keeping him around.

It'll be easier to navigate the Caleb Williams extension waters next year

Jan 4, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) tosses the ball against the Detroit Lions during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Caleb Williams has already proven to be the Bears' franchise quarterback. He'll be in Chicago for the long haul. However, he won't be signing a team-friendly deal just to stick around. Williams is going to get PAID whenever he does put pen to paper, and those QB contracts always make it more difficult to navigate the salary cap ceiling.

The Bears have the most wiggle room in the league when it comes to their available cap space for the 2028 season (which technically could be when they lock in Williams' fifth-year option). Still, it would be ideal to have Williams' extension be the ONLY priority for next offseason. Signing Wright now will give them a better idea of the type of situation they'll be in after signing Williams.

With the wealth of talent in the 2024 QB class, Chicago absolutely must be the first to the altar when it comes to re-signing Williams. Drake Maye, Caleb Williams, and Jayden Daniels could all reset the market when they sign their deals. Bo Nix might not be far behind them. Whoever signs their signal-caller first will probably get quite the value when it's all said and done.

He would be in line for a MASSIVE pay day after another All-Pro season

Sep 15, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Chicago Bears offensive tackle Darnell Wright (58) blocks against Houston Texans defensive end Danielle Hunter (55) during the game at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Remember when I said that the smart teams pay their stars early? That's because they're usually on an upward trajectory by year three, and another year of high-level play usually makes their wallet heavier. There is baked-in risk with those contracts, but it usually only backfires when injuries come into the equation (as we saw with Gordon). You usually know a player's floor by year three.

Wright is still getting better, and you'd have to think that he knows it. An extension over the next three months would probably pay him somewhere around $23 million per year. If he repeats his performance from last season (or improves upon it), it's safe to assume he'll be looking for a deal in the range of $27 million per year. With a Caleb Williams extension on the horizon, that discrepancy weighs heavily.