Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles favors late-summer deals for core players. As the right tackle market skyrockets, Chicago’s historical patterns suggest a massive extension for Darnell Wright remains imminent.
Three days before the 2026 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears picked up Darnell Wright's fifth-year option. General manager Ryan Poles also stated that an extension will be worked on in the future.
Now just days before the calendar turns to August, that extension still hasn't happened. However, that shouldn't be a cause for concern, especially when assessing how the Bears have done business in the past.
The Bears signed tight end Cole Kmet to an extension on July 26, 2023. Almost a year to the day later, wide receiver DJ Moore signed his new deal on July 30, 2024.
“I think there's a window to get a deal done and then at some point we have to go play football," Poles said on Tuesday. "So we'll figure that part out. But obviously, I think I've said it before, Darnell's the guy we want here long term. It takes two sides to get things done, but at the end of the day, I don't want any distractions or anything like that. So when it's time to go play football, we'll go play football and keep it moving. But, he's a guy we would like here for a while.”
Wright is coming off his best season as a pro. In the first year of head coach Ben Johnson's offense, the 6-foot-5, 325-pound right tackle allowed just 19 total pressures, three sacks and finished with a 85.6 run-blocking grade, according to Pro Football Focus.
He provided much-needed stability for Caleb Williams last season, making a strong case for a new deal. That price tag may have gone up, though. The Vikings re-signed two-time Pro Bowl right tackle Brian O'Neill to a four-year, $96 million extension on Tuesday. Looking at the right tackle market, Philadelphia's Lane Johnson leads his position group at $25 million per year, with O'Neill slotting just behind him at $24 million.
Could a new deal make Wright the highest-paid right tackle in the NFL or will he land somewhere in between? Time will tell.
If a deal doesn't get done this summer, then Wright will just have to play out this season. Even though the 24-year-old right tackle had an impressive 2025 season, he still has areas he can improve.
“I think it's just consistency," Poles said. "We all see the flashes and the stacks of plays that he puts together, and it's really impressive. Can it be consistent day in and day out? That's the key part for Darnell.”
