Darnell Wright Addresses Bears Extension Talks

Chicago is still hoping to have an extension worked out before the regular season kicks off. Wright had his fifth-year option picked up this spring, meaning he is under team control through 2027. Plenty of time remains for negotiations as a result, but the former No. 10 pick is confident a deal will be struck.

“I’ll be on the Bears for a long time,” Wright said (via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin) when speaking to reporters on Friday about a potential extension. “It doesn’t really matter to me [when it gets done].”

Wright added a second Chicago contract is a matter of when, not if at this point. That certainly implies an agreement could be in store rather soon. Any long-term commitment on the part of the Bears will check in at a much higher cost than that of his option for 2027 ($19.07MM). The top of the tackle market topped $30MM per year this offseason, and several blindside blockers are comfortably over $20MM annually.

Wright has exclusively worked at right tackle during his Bears tenure, and the second-team All-Pro is expected to remain at that spot moving forward. Even so, a substantial raise will be in store on any potential new deal. Lane Johnson currently leads the way in terms of RT contracts at an average of $25MM. Brian O’Neill‘s new Vikings pact, meanwhile, checks in at $24MM in terms of AAV.

Johnson is 36, while O’Neill will be 31 in September. Wright is approaching his age-25 campaign, so aiming to surpass the other two from a financial standpoint could be a logical goal. In any case, a multiyear agreement would add to the financial commitments on a Bears offensive line which already has big-ticket contracts with guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson. Center Drew Dalman was attached to a notable deal of his own, but his surprise retirement led to the addition of Garrett Bradbury during free agency.

The left tackle spot is a question mark at this point for Chicago, but either way it will not be an expensive one over the near term. Wright figures to continue serving as an anchor for the O-line at the other tackle spot, but he could soon be doing so with a new contract in hand.