Changing Sidelines: Eagles' Amegadjie on Darnell Wright, Ben Johnson And Joining The Eagles’ O-Line

PHILADELPHIA — Kiran Amegadjie spent two seasons watching Bears right tackle Darnell Wright from the same meeting room.

This week, he will watch his former teammate as a member of the opposition. The Eagles practice-squad tackle, a 2024 Chicago third-round pick out of Yale, believes Wright might be the most gifted player he’s ever seen.

“Darnell’s ascension is just a product of the work that he puts in and his desire to be great,” Amegadjie told Eagles On SI Friday after practice. “When I got there he was in year two, and he took on a much bigger role, becoming a leader of the room, and then just taking his ability to the next level.

“He might be the most talented football player I think I’ve ever seen. Things he can do athletically are freakish, but I think his separating factor is the fact that he wants to be the highest paid tackle. He wants to be the best right tackle in the league, and that’s why that kind of happened this offseason, and I think he deserved it.”

Wright’s leap last year was easiest to see on the right side, where he lined up next to guard Jonah Jackson to provide perhaps the best run-blocking duo in the NFL.

Amegadjie said the tape still looks the same.

“You’re watching the film and it’s like, geez, I don’t think you can really replicate it, the physicality, the violence, the execution,” he said. “Those two are dialed in. They’re great friends off the field, in the locker room and stuff like that, and are just connected.

“That’s why they run the ball to the right so much is because you run the ball to the right and it’s a successful run behind those two. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I think they do a great job, both of them, Jonah and Darnell on that side.”

Opposition Intell

Aug 22, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Chicago Bears offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie (72) after a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The architect of that look was Ben Johnson, Chicago’s head coach and still, in Amegadjie’s description, the most exacting offensive voice he has been around.

“He’s very detailed, probably the most detailed coach I’ve ever been around in all my life,” Amegadjie said. “He has a vision for his offense and he doesn’t compromise on that vision. He demands almost near perfection from his players, and the good thing is that he’s a great communicator and everybody knows exactly what their job is supposed to be on each given play.

“He’s a genius, and he’s very detailed, and he’s very involved in everything that’s going on with that offense. He teaches it. He sees everything on the field, and he knows exactly what it’s supposed to look like on every play.”

That is the offense Amegadjie left when the Bears waived him at final cuts. The Eagles signed him to the practice squad on Sept. 1. The 6-foot-5, 326-pound tackle called it a fresh start he needed, and he has found the room matches the reputation he grew up watching.

“I’m really happy to be here,” he said. “These guys have been super welcoming, and nothing short of amazing my time here so far. Just an all-around great room, and obviously the history of it.”

“As an offensive lineman, you grow up — especially me growing up mid-2010s to early 2020s — the Eagles offensive line - the Eagles and the Cowboys - probably you would say are the standard for offensive line play.”

Amegadjie has been watching Lane Johnson for years. He first noticed Landon Dickerson at Alabama. Jordan Mailata is now a teammate instead of a clip on tape.

“The whole room is just full of guys who are super talented and kind of carry on that tradition,” Amegadjie said. “I think any offensive lineman dreams of being in a place where the offensive line is celebrated and valued, and it kind of puts a chip on your shoulder to want to contribute to that history.”

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