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What Darnell Wright's Contract Says About Shift in Bears Thinking

No one has ever made more money per year or received a bigger guarantee from the Bears than Darnell Wright, and it says something about altered priorities.
Gene Chamberlain|
Darnell Wright's contract is an example of how the Bears have changed their thinking.
Darnell Wright's contract is an example of how the Bears have changed their thinking. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

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Chicago Bears

As it turns out, there was a good reason Bears tackle Darnell Wright last week said he wasn't worried about his contract extension and even predicted he'd be in Chicago for a long time.

It will be a long, long time at the money he received from the Bears when Wright reached agreement Tuesday on a four-year contract extension

Wright became the highest-paid Bears player ever in terms of average annual pay and guaranteed money with a four-year contract extension for $116 million. The guaranteed money was reported at $93 million by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, an NFL record for an offensive lineman.

He is also the highest-paid right tackle in the NFL now as his deal bested the one signed by Detroit's Penei Sewell when coach Ben Johnson was the Lions offensive coordinator. Sewell, though, is converting to left tackle, but he was a right tackle when he signed and his deal was four years and $112 million with $85 million guaranteed, per Spotrac.com. That merely shows how much contracts go up in specific positions each year.

Expect Sewell's people to want a raise.

Breaking all kinds of Bears records

The deal breaks the Bears average annual amount record wide receiver DJ Moore had when he signed a contract extension for four years and $110 million. Moore's guarantee was $82 million.

Highest paid Bears player is a designation very likely to be overtaken in the near future by quarterback Caleb Williams anyway, but at the kind of money Wright got who really cares who is highest paid? The guaranteed money breaks the total mark of $90 million Khalil Mack got in 2018 when he came to the Bears. Mack's total deal was more than Wright's but it was over six years and not four.

"It takes two sides to get things done, but at the end of the day, I don't want any distractions or anything like that," GM Ryan Poles had said when camp opened. "So when it's time to go play football, we'll go play football and keep it moving. But, he's a guy we would like here for a while.”

That kind of money tends to help keep people in place for a while. Ben Johnson has his Chicago version of Sewell but Poles' description of Wright didn't paint a picture of a finished product.

"I think it's just consistency," Poles said. "We all see the flashes and the stacks of plays that he puts together, and it's really impressive. Can it be consistent day in and day out? That's the key part for Darnell.”

Then again, that was before Poles had negotiated the contract. It's easier to be critical then. No doubt Wright looks a lot better to the Bears GM now.

What this shows about the organization

It's just another example of how far Bears thinking has come around under Johnson. An offensive-side coach who bases much of his attack on a running game and play-action passing needs a dominant tackle.

In years gone by, the Bears organization had almost always looked at the defensive side for big expenditures, as Mack's contract says. It was seven years ago and the total amount still is the most. When they had explored bigger pay for offensive players, it usually ended poorly.

Before Wright signed, five of their top seven contracts in team history went for defensive players. The second biggest contract in total money was Jay Cutler at $126.7 million for seven years. The years have made that contract look smaller in average pay now but when it hit the Bears' salary cap it sure didn't look small.

The deal signed in 2014 cost GM Phil Emery his job at the end of the 2014 season, after it didn't work out how the Bears hoped.

Moore got his contract extension and after two seasons was traded.

Besides Mack, Moore, and Cutler, Montez Sweat had the next-highest contract at $98 million with $62.8 million guaranteed, then defensive end Julius Peppers at $84 million for six years.

Again, like with Cutler's deal, the years and a higher salary cap made that Peppers contract look smaller. Jaylon Johnson had an extension for four years and $76 million but it was bigger than Peppers' deal in guaranteed money at $51.4 million and also far bigger in average pay at $19 million a year.

Caleb Williams is in mind

Wright also is much higher paid than the Protector of the Year, left guard Joe Thuney. The Bears signed Thuney to a two-year $35 million extension. But Thuney is a guard and the big money in the NFL is for tackles.

Either way, the Bears are showing how much they think of Williams by paying so much for his protectors. Overall, the change in Bears thinking towards bigger offensive deals will be all the more apparent when Williams gets his contract extension after this year.

Offense is king right now in the NFL and at Halas Hall, although there an awful lot of people who would love it if Poles could pay big dollars for an edge rusher. At this point, the only way that's happening is if they made a trade for Maxx Crosby.

It would really be a feat if they pulled that off considering their salary cap situation wouldn't allow it.

Biggest Bears contracts

Ranked by total cash

1. Khalil Mack 2018, six years, $141 million $90 million guaranteed
2. Jay Cutler 2014, seven years, $126.7 million, $54 millions guaranteed
3. Darnell Wright 2026 four years, $116 million, $93 million guaranteed
4. DJ Moore 2024, four years, $110 million, $82 million guaranteed
5. Montez Sweat 2023, four years, $98 million, $62.8 million guaranteed
6. Julius Peppers 2010, six years, $84 million, $40.5 million guaranteed
7. Jaylon Johnson 2024, four years, $76 million, $51.4 million guaranteed
8. Tremaine Edmunds 2023, four years, $72 million, $41.8 million guaranteed

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Published
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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