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Bears Facing Difficult Situation With Darnell Wright Missing Practice

One of the keys to springing the NFL's top Week 1 running game was right tackle Darnell Wright but he missed Bears practice on Wednesday.
Gene Chamberlain|
Darnell Wright's absence from Wendesday's practice is a matter of real concern considering the defense the Bears face Sunday.
Darnell Wright's absence from Wendesday's practice is a matter of real concern considering the defense the Bears face Sunday. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Chicago Bears

When the Bears mauled the Panthers up front on Sunday in the running game, they had their usual lean to the right behind tackle Darnell Wright and guard Jonah Jackson.

They ran 18 times to the right side and 13 to the left, but wherever they went they had success.

It could be tougher on the right side at home against the Vikings if Wednesday is an indication because Wright, their All-Pro tackle, missed practice due to a knee injury.

Wright has been generally healthy through his career and wasn't on any post-game injury report. He had a torn UCL in the right elbow last year but continued to play. He left a practice in late training camp after he had a flare-up in the same right elbow, but hasn't had a problem with it.

In the past, it took a lot to keep Wright on the sidelines. He was questionable and left behind by the team when they went to San Francisco last year due to illness. Yet, he hopped a plane after they left and showed up to play in the wild 49ers victory.

It certainly could wreck their run blocking on the right side. They have Theo Benedet as a swing tackle who backs up the position and he is at his best on that side of the line. Still, it's a long drop in quality from Wright.

Johnson doesn't hide the fact they like running to Wright's side. He was instrumental in running back D'Andre Swift garnering NFC offensive player of the week honors.

"There's certainly times we want to lean into that more than others," he said. "Matchup driven certainly, but yet Jonah and Darnell are two very powerful athletes that I think it's very difficult to Stonewall.

"And so now we'll have a big test this week. I think (Jalen) Redmond for them, I think he's one of the better defensive linemen in this league."

Redmond did have six sacks last year when he was playing with a largely veteran group up front.

"He's flying under the radar and yet just seeing his growth over the years, he's a force to be reckoned with and so they've got some young bucks inside that will be very difficult to handle, very talented young guys," Johnson said. "But you know Redmond is a guy we have highlighted. Yep, we run right but we like to complement that to the left as much as we can."

It's not just Redmond who can be a threat. The Vikings will load up that side with blitzes from Andrew Van Ginkel, who had 1 1/2 sacks against the Packers.

The Bears do have one other tackle available who could be elevated if Wright's injury proves a problem. Christian Jones is on the practice squad. He is 6-foot-5, 305 pounds and a fifth-round 2024 Cardinals draft pick who has played in four NFL games with one start.

The Cardinals waived him at the end of August and the Bears signed him to the practice squad.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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