The Chicago Bears will reportedly pick up the fifth-year option for right tackle Darnell Wright, which opens up the possibility for a future extension for the former first-round draft pick.
The Chicago Bears had one of the most consistent offensive lines in the NFL last season, and right tackle Darnell Wright helped anchor the right side for quarterback Caleb Williams.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Bears are picking up the fifth-year option for Wright. This move isn't surprising and will cost the Bears just over $19 million to lock down the former No. 10 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft for the 2027 season.
Wright is coming off his best NFL season of his career. He earned second-team All-Pro honors after giving up just three sacks and 19 total quarterback pressures on 1,074 offensive snaps played.
The 6-foot-5, 335-pound offensive tackle reduced his sack and total quarterback pressure numbers in each season he has played. After giving up zero quarterback pressures against the Cleveland Browns in Week 15, Wright closed out the 2025 season (including playoffs) by allowing only one quarterback hit, one sack and five total pressures.
With one season under head coach Ben Johnson and offensive line coach Dan Roushar, Wright is an ascending player entering his fourth season. He's only missed two games since being drafted in 2023.
The Bears understand how a stable offensive line plays into the quality of the offense, so the question now becomes, when will Wright receive a contract extension?
Exercising the fifth-year option gives general manager Ryan Poles another year of control over Wright, but the longer the process takes to get an extension done, the more the price could go up for Wright.
Here are some notable extensions that have happened over the last few years.
- January 2026: Seattle's Charles Cross signed a 4-year, $104 million extension
- August 2024: Tampa Bay's Tristian Wirfs signed a 5-year, $140.6 million extension
- April 2024: Detroit's Penei Sewell signed a 4-year, $112 million extension
Wirfs and Sewell have been some of the best offensive tackles in the game, and have achieved more throughout their respective careers than Wright, but the Bears' right tackle could be right in that general ball park, according to CBS' Joel Corry.
If Poles has seen enough from Wright to warrant a long-term extension, a move will get done eventually.
With the 2026 NFL Draft just three days away, there are some more pressing issues on the minds of the top decision makers at Halas Hall. But picking up Wright's fifth-year option was just the first step to what should eventually land the Bears' right tackle with a contract that will have him protecting Williams for the foreseeable future.