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Darnell Wright spent the 2025 season serving as the anchor bookend to Ben Johnson's and Caleb Williams' bright Bears offense.
None of what the ascending Bears do works without Wright digging out defensive ends from running lanes while also shutting down top pass rushers. None of it. Wright, a top-10 draft pick in 2023, was so good last year, in fact, that he earned Second-Team All-Pro honors. When factoring in Wright's steady improvement every season since getting drafted, along with the fact that he'll only be 25 by the time the 2026 NFL season begins, it is no wonder the Bears made him effectively the richest offensive lineman in NFL history on Tuesday.
If anything, Wright's new four-year, $116 million contract with $93 million guaranteed — the biggest ever for a right tackle and the most guaranteed money any individual NFL offensive lineman has ever seen — might be a tremendous value for the Bears, given all that he brings to the table. Fittingly, the extension also ends two rather embarrassing droughts regarding Bears first-round draft selections:
You see, dearest readers, up until a recent spate of top draft selections like Wright, Williams, and tight end Colston Loveland, the Bears have, for a very long time, been very poor at drafting. While other consistent top-tier NFL franchises this millennium seemingly restock their talent cupboards every spring without breaking a sweat, the Bears have struggled to maximize the draft's full potential. It's one of the biggest reasons Chicago has been a pro football cellar dweller for most of the 21st century.
Wright's contract flips that reality on its head. Not only is he the first Bears first-round draft pick to receive a second contract with the team since former All-Pro cornerback Kyle Fuller in 2018, but he's also the first Bears first-round draft pick to be extended by the general manager that drafted him, in this case Ryan Poles. The last time that happened with the Bears was 2008 when then-general manager Jerry Angelo extended former All-Pro defensive tackle Tommie Harris, whom he drafted in 2004.
Woof. That is dark. I actually may have undersold the reasoning for the Bears' consistent shortcomings until recently. It probably has been, in fact, that they haven't really retained or developed quality first-round talent, the bedrock talent of any bona fide contender/good team, for years.
In more ways than one, Wright's contract is a sign of the changing times in Chicago.
And if the football gods should have it, he probably won't be the only current active former first-round pick Bear to receive an extension. Williams and Loveland may be next in line over the next few years, continuing what might be a genuine Bears renaissance.
Per Spotrac, here are the five highest-paid NFL offensive linemen by total contract value:
Here are the five highest-paid offensive linemen by total guaranteed money:
Here are the five highest-paid offensive linemen by average annual value:
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Darnell Wright's historic Bears contract also breaks 2 embarrassing team droughts
Continue reading...
None of what the ascending Bears do works without Wright digging out defensive ends from running lanes while also shutting down top pass rushers. None of it. Wright, a top-10 draft pick in 2023, was so good last year, in fact, that he earned Second-Team All-Pro honors. When factoring in Wright's steady improvement every season since getting drafted, along with the fact that he'll only be 25 by the time the 2026 NFL season begins, it is no wonder the Bears made him effectively the richest offensive lineman in NFL history on Tuesday.
If anything, Wright's new four-year, $116 million contract with $93 million guaranteed — the biggest ever for a right tackle and the most guaranteed money any individual NFL offensive lineman has ever seen — might be a tremendous value for the Bears, given all that he brings to the table. Fittingly, the extension also ends two rather embarrassing droughts regarding Bears first-round draft selections:
You see, dearest readers, up until a recent spate of top draft selections like Wright, Williams, and tight end Colston Loveland, the Bears have, for a very long time, been very poor at drafting. While other consistent top-tier NFL franchises this millennium seemingly restock their talent cupboards every spring without breaking a sweat, the Bears have struggled to maximize the draft's full potential. It's one of the biggest reasons Chicago has been a pro football cellar dweller for most of the 21st century.
Wright's contract flips that reality on its head. Not only is he the first Bears first-round draft pick to receive a second contract with the team since former All-Pro cornerback Kyle Fuller in 2018, but he's also the first Bears first-round draft pick to be extended by the general manager that drafted him, in this case Ryan Poles. The last time that happened with the Bears was 2008 when then-general manager Jerry Angelo extended former All-Pro defensive tackle Tommie Harris, whom he drafted in 2004.
Woof. That is dark. I actually may have undersold the reasoning for the Bears' consistent shortcomings until recently. It probably has been, in fact, that they haven't really retained or developed quality first-round talent, the bedrock talent of any bona fide contender/good team, for years.
In more ways than one, Wright's contract is a sign of the changing times in Chicago.
And if the football gods should have it, he probably won't be the only current active former first-round pick Bear to receive an extension. Williams and Loveland may be next in line over the next few years, continuing what might be a genuine Bears renaissance.
Who are the NFL's highest-paid offensive linemen after Darnell Wright's contract extension?
Per Spotrac, here are the five highest-paid NFL offensive linemen by total contract value:
- LT Tristan Wirfs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($140.6 million)
- LT Andrew Thomas, New York Giants ($117.5 million)
- RT Darnell Wright, Chicago Bears ($116 million)
- LT Rashawn Slater, Los Angeles Chargers ($114 million)
- RT Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions ($112 million)
Here are the five highest-paid offensive linemen by total guaranteed money:
- RT Darnell Wright, Chicago Bears ($93 million)
- LT Rashawn Slater, Los Angeles Chargers ($92 million)
- LT Tristan Wirfs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($88.2 million)
- RT Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions ($85 million)
- C Tyler Linderbaum, Las Vegas Raiders ($81 million)
Here are the five highest-paid offensive linemen by average annual value:
- LT Laremy Tunsil, Washington Commanders ($30.1 million)
- RT Darnell Wright, Chicago Bears ($29 million)
- LT Rashawn Slater, Los Angeles Chargers ($28.5 million)
- LT Tristan Wirfs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($28.1 million)
- RT Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions ($28 million)
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Darnell Wright's historic Bears contract also breaks 2 embarrassing team droughts
Continue reading...
