Bear Digest

Cowboys' release of Trevon Diggs is a warning to Bears' Ryan Poles

With a critical offseason coming up, the Chicago Bears can't afford another contract blunder.
Pete Martuneac|
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Chicago Bears

The Dallas Cowboys shocked the NFL world on Tuesday when they released two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs. Diggs, who had made a run at the single-season interception record in 2021 when he racked up 11 picks in sixteen games, had signed a massive five-year, $97 million extension in July of 2023. Now, just two years into that contract, Diggs is looking for a new home.

There’s no denying that Diggs’ 2021 season was a special one, but it was always a mistake for the Cowboys to sign him to such a rich extension based off of interceptions alone. As many fans can recall, Diggs also gave up several huge plays and long touchdown passes by chasing interceptions. He was very much a boom-or-bust cornerback.

That should sound familiar to Chicago Bears fans; they have the exact same kind of cornerback on the roster and face a similar contract question this offseason. The Bears signed Nahshon Wright just one day after the Vikings cut him to a one-year, $1.1 million contract this offseason.

Wright, a former third-round draft pick from the 2021 NFL draft, was forced into a starting role due to several injuries in Chicago’s secondary to start the season, and he has performed better than anyone could have hoped, racking up six interceptions and eight total takeaways, the most in the NFL.

It’s undeniable that he’s played a key role in several Bears victories this year, and any reason for his snub from the 2026 Pro Bowl is entirely unclear, but none of that means that he should be a shoo-in for a contract extension this offseason. When he’s not getting takeaways, Wright is a liability in coverage. He’s simply not able to keep up with the best receivers in the game, and once the playoffs begin, he’s going to be facing the best every week.

Wright has been a fantastic story for the Bears this year, and he’s earned a contract extension somewhere. But it shouldn’t be with Chicago. As it was with Diggs, those takeaway numbers won’t be sustainable in the long-term and the Bears will be left with an overpaid backup cornerback.

General manager Ryan Poles should thank Wright for his tremendous service to the Chicago Bears, then allow him and his agent to hit the open market and find the best deal possible this offseason. Don’t make the same mistake the Cowboys did.

Nahshon Wrigh
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Pete Martuneac
PETE MARTUNEAC

A former Marine and Purdue Boilermaker, Pete has been covering the Chicago Bears since 2022 as a senior contributor on BearsTalk. He lives with his wife, two kids and loyal dog.

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