Chicago Bears offensive tackle Darnell Wright has solidified the right side of the offensive line since he was drafted in 2023, but has he done enough to earn a contract extension before the start of the 2026 NFL season?
It's a mailbag Bears Friday.
Many of you submitted questions to me on social media, and I will answer them throughout the week. If you haven't done so, drop a question on the tweet below, or you can submit questions in the comment section of this article.
Let's start with this question about Bears right tackle Darnell Wright and the team's cap space.
Do you think Darnell will be extended before the season start, and how do you think they will create cap space for the rookies? -- @Rmodryce
The Chicago Bears and Wright are approaching an important deadline for the former first-round draft pick's future with the organization.
For first-round picks drafted in 2023, those players have finished their third NFL season, meaning their organizations will have to make a decision by May 1 to exercise the fifth-year option.
The Bears will exercise Wright's fifth-year option at some point, as it gives general manager Ryan Poles another year of control to work out an extension. I would also expect an extension to follow not long after.
As the salary cap continues to grow, so will the price tag for all positions, especially premium ones like offensive tackle.
Looking at recent right tackles who secured an extension, it's going to cost the Bears a substantial amount to lock down Wright. Tampa Bay's Tristian Wirfs signed a 5-year, $140.6 million extension in August 2024, earning $28.1 million per season. Detroit's Penei Sewell also earned some-life changing money when he signed his 4-year, $112 million extension ($28 million avg) in April 2024.
Wirfs is a five-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro and has won Super Bowl. Sewell has four Pro Bowl nods and is a three-time All-Pro. They are the best of the best.
Wright is coming off his best season as a pro. He earned second-team All-Pro honors after allowing just three sacks and 19 total quarterback pressures on 1,074 snaps played. The former No. 10 overall pick from Tennessee had a slow start to his third season, but found his footing in Ben Johnson's offense as he became more comfortable next to right guard Jonah Jackson.
The Bears know how important Wright is to this offense. The 6-foot-5, 335-pound tackle moves people in the run game and knows how to keep Caleb Williams upright. Giving Wright a contract extension, most likely in the ball park of Wirfs and Sewell, seems like an inevitable move for the Bears' organization.
Really quickly for the second part of the question pertaining to how the Bears will create cap space for the rookie class. It can be done in a number of ways, and I actually answered this question in a previous mailbag article.
Poles hasn't created more cap space yet because he doesn't have to at this point. However, expect some kind of restructure to happen or potentially a player being released or traded so the Bears can sign their rookie class.