The Chicago Bears took some flak three years ago when they used the 10th overall pick to draft Tennessee right tackle Darnell Wright. Experts had reservations about his versatility, worrying he’d only be useful as a pass blocker. The Bears didn’t let that stop them. General manager Ryan Poles saw a big, powerful, and athletic young man with an outstanding work ethic. This was the type of player you built a foundation with. People had no idea how right that statement would prove to be.
Wright achieved second-team All-Pro honors last season. He was only the 4th in franchise history to accomplish that and the first since James “Big Cat” Williams in 2001. It is why the Bears had no qualms about handing him a massive contract extension worth $29 million a year. He’d more than earned. The only thing left to wonder was whether that new money would change his dedication to the game as it has for other players.
It has.
Somehow, it seems to have made him work even harder. Three games into the 2026 season, Wright might be putting together one of the best campaigns a Bears offensive lineman has ever had.
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Darnell Wright is putting up some gaudy numbers.
Yes, offensive linemen don’t have traditional stats, but the ones they do tell a pretty clear story. Through the first 3 games of the season, Wright has faced a 1-on-1 block against an opposing pass rusher 53 times. He has not allowed a sack, hit, or pressure on the quarterback in those situations yet. It has been a complete shutout. Only two other tackles have managed the same, and Joe Alt (37) and Amarius Mims (46) were left 1-on-1 in far fewer situations. That should tell you how much trust the Bears have in him.
It doesn’t stop there. The craziest part of this entire situation is that pass blocking isn’t even the best thing Darnell Wright does. So far this season, he is currently the highest-rated run-blocker in the NFL, regardless of position. The Bears have run the ball behind or around him 15 times this season. They’ve compiled 154 yards and 4 touchdowns doing so. He is so good that head coach Ben Johnson moved him briefly to the left side against Philadelphia to mix things up. Stuff like that doesn’t happen.
Something special is unfolding.
Bears fans haven’t witnessed offensive line play of this caliber in a long time, especially at the tackle position. Wright isn’t just a really good player anymore. He has become a star. So much of the team’s offensive game plan is designed around him. Coaches only do that when they know they have a stud at the position. Kyle Shanahan does the same thing with Trent Williams in San Francisco. Dan Campbell does it with Penei Sewell in Detroit. It is no surprise that Ben Johnson is doing the same.
There is no telling where things go from here. If Wright stays healthy, he is on pace to have probably one of the best seasons in franchise history. If Ozzy Trapilo returns at left tackle and regains his form from late last season, this offensive line could become an even bigger force than it already is. Fans should pay close attention to what Wright is doing. This is the culmination of everything the team hoped for when they drafted him in 2023.
