The Chicago Bears took a tremendous risk in the spring of 2023. Not only did they pass on taking a quarterback #1 overall, but after trading down to #9, they passed on taking highly-touted defensive tackle Jalen Carter from Georgia as well. If that weren’t enough, their final gamble was selecting Tennessee right tackle, Darnell Wright. While many experts agreed he was a really good prospect, most felt he was more of a mid-teens or early-20s prospect. General manager Ryan Poles didn’t care.
He felt Wright had all the tools of a franchise tackle, from size to power and mobility. All he needed was time to finetune his technique. Three years later, the Bears GM might be owed an apology. Wright was second-team All-Pro last season, and just cracked ESPN’s list of the top 10 offensive tackles in the NFL. This is assembled through polls of league executives, scouts, and coaches. That should tell you how respected the Bears’ starter has become. Yet even now, it still feels like he’s undervalued.
6. Darnell Wright, Chicago Bears
Highest ranking: 2 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 24 | Last year’s ranking: UnrankedWright is on an upward trajectory as an anchor of Chicago’s vaunted offensive line. The team ranked third in rushing and top 10 in overall offense.
“Power and brute strength,” an NFL personnel director said. “He can do whatever he wants on a football field.”
The Bears were highly pleased with Wright last season as he played through a nagging shoulder injury. But despite ranking fourth in pass block win rate (95.2%), some voters believe he needs to improve his refinement on passing downs.
“I don’t see a consistently high motor,” a veteran NFL defensive coach said. “That’s the next step for him is getting that up.”
Darnell Wright being so far behind Penei Sewell feels disrespectful.
The two weren’t that far apart last season in terms of play quality. Sewell gave up 19 pressures in 601 pass-blocking snaps. Wright allowed 24 in 740. Sewell had the #1 run-blocking grade for the year. Wright was 10th. This is somewhat curious since Detroit ranked 14th in rushing while Chicago was 3rd. The point is that Wright has a legitimate case for being on the same tier as Sewell, who took home the #1 spots in the rankings. Yet still no Pro Bowl honors or proper respect from national media outlets.
That probably suits Darnell Wright just fine. He thrives on criticism like that. It’s been this way since college. Every instance of not mentioning him as a top tackle only fuels him to work even harder. The Bears certainly won’t complain. When he’s operating at his peak, their offense has proven it can turn opposing defenses into road kill. The only saving grace at this point is that Chicago hasn’t yet found a left tackle who is similar in quality to him. If they ever do, it’s a wrap.
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It truly feels like things started changing with Wright’s arrival.
He was Poles’ first selection in the 1st round as a general manager. Most people know that such moves can set the tone for an entire GM tenure. It was with Shea McClellin and Phil Emery and again with Kevin White and Ryan Pace. Poles had to make sure his first swing connected. We can now say with absolute certainty that he did. Darnell Wright is a stud. The Bears’ offensive line is one of the best in the NFL. Successful periods in franchise history always have an origin point. Selecting Wright should be viewed as the one for this team.
The next step for the Bears is obvious. They must extend their star tackle. Wright is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract. While the 5th-year option is already in play, most believe the Bears won’t bother leaning on it. They want to lock Wright up as quickly as possible. Expectations are that he’ll be one of the highest-paid tackles in football when the dust settles. As well he should be. From there, it becomes about how much better he can continue getting.
