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Montez Sweat Speaks to True Value of Darnell Wright's Bears Extension

Chicago's top pass rusher should know what they have in their right tackle better than anyone and he's seeing money well spent.
Gene Chamberlain|
The compliments continue rolling in for Beas right tackle Darnell Wright.
The compliments continue rolling in for Beas right tackle Darnell Wright. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Chicago Bears

No player is going to trash their teammate in the media, or even downplay his contribution in any way.

So, singing the praise of a teammate also gets cheapened. Still, it can count for something when they're very specific in what they see.

To hear Bears defensive end Montez Sweat talk about right tackle Darnell Wright, they've made a wise investment with the four-year, $116 million contract extension given to their All-Pro, a deal Overthecap.com says has guaranteed salaries this year and next counting amid the $93 million guaranteed figure.

"Yeah, the stride that Darnell has made within his technique, his work ethic and everything, just the way he goes around the building is tremendous, from when I got here and where he’s at now," said Sweat, who came to the Bears in 2023 when Wright was a rookie.

Wright returns to the scene of maybe his most famous block from last year when the Bears go to Cincinnati for practice and a preseason game, but really, how good is he?

"I don’t think I’ve beat him in a one-on-one rep yet, honestly," Sweat said. "I started off with me making him better, now I think it’s the other way around — him making me better."

"I don’t think I’ve beat him in a one-on-one rep yet, honestly. I started off with me making him better, now I think it’s the other way around — him making me better."
Montez Sweat on Darnell Wright

Actually, Sweat doesn't get drubbed badly on a daily basis in practice when rushing off the offense's right side like he made it sound.

A war from the very start

Sweat was traded to the Bears and had already faced Wright once in a game in 2023 while with Washington, so he had an idea what the battle was going to be like on a daily basis.

"It's really been a dog fight," Sweat said. "When I first got here, I seen the athletic tools. A big guy that could just mirror you with his pass set and also strong enough to sit down with a bull rush or a long arm and things like that, and how he's developed on the field mentally. It's been fun."

Wright was pretty good last year, since he made second-team All-Pro. There was only one player chosen by the AP ahead of him at that position in the entire league, and that was Detroit's Penei Sewell. Now, Sweat sees Wright getting even better.

"I think this year was maybe the biggest jump that I've seen personally," Sweat said. "Last year was like, we kind of just (went) hit for hit, hit for hit. This year I just see a huge jump in his technique."

What Sweat is seeing is a good investment by GM Ryan Poles. It's not surprising. One thing Poles definitely knows is the offensive line. He played the line, and he brought in Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson and Wright.

If only he could claim the same about the defensive line because he's batting below the Moreno line when it comes to acquiring defensive ends to contribute in the pass rush. Sweat and Austin Booker are his only successes to date amid a long line of misses.

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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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