Bears secure Darnell Wright with four-year, $116 million contract extension
The Chicago Bears have announced a new four-year contract extension with right tackle Darnell Wright, worth $116 million. This figure includes $93 million guaranteed, making Wright the highest-paid right tackle in NFL history. His average annual salary of US$29 million places him just below Laremy Tunsil, who receives US$30.1 million per year in his contract with the Washington Commanders, signed in March.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles released a statement expressing satisfaction with the deal. He said Darnell Wright represents a “fundamental pillar” for the franchise, essential in building the team and developing a culture focused on lasting success. Poles added that the athlete has consistently raised his own level of play and the performance of his teammates since his arrival, and the expectation is that he will continue to grow and exercise his leadership in the coming years.
Darnell Wright was a No. 10 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of the University of Tennessee. Aged 24, he became the first Polish player to be selected in the first round. His professional career shows great consistency, starting all 49 matches and losing just two matches over three seasons.
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Even with an elbow injury in the third week of the previous season, Wright demonstrated excellence, being named to the All-Pro second team. He ranked fourth in pass blocking success rate at an impressive 95.2%. Furthermore, the athlete was among the five players with the highest number of offensive snaps, recording 93.07%.
Consistency challenge for the future of right tackle
For general manager Ryan Poles, the next step for Darnell Wright involves maintaining consistency. Poles commented on the athlete’s “impressive” sequence of brilliant plays and moves, highlighting the importance of sustaining this level of performance on a daily basis. “Can he maintain that consistency day after day? That’s the fundamental part for Darnell,” said the manager.
In May, the Bears had already activated the fifth-year option on Darnell Wright’s contract. The franchise had expressed interest in keeping him in the squad throughout the pre-season, finalizing the extension of the contract after just six training sessions on the training ground.
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Darnell Wright had stated the previous week that his main focus was not on contract renewal, as his expectation was for a long stay with the organization. “Obviously, I know I’m going to be here for a long time, hopefully for my entire career,” Wright said. He added that these issues resolve themselves naturally and that his goal is to stay focused on the essentials, which implies daily improvement and consistency.
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Darnell Wright’s presence on the offensive line was crucial in significantly reducing the number of sacks suffered by quarterback Caleb Williams last season. Williams saw his sacks drop from a league-high 68 in his rookie season to just 24 in 2025. This performance contributed to the Bears ranking third in the league in fewest sacks per pass, as well as boasting the third-best ground attack and 10th-best aerial attack in the NFL in 2025.
Bears coach Ben Johnson highlighted in June that the team’s offensive strategy has a strong bias towards the right side of the line, largely due to Wright. “When you look at us on offense, we’re certainly a little more right-handed than left-handed, and that’s with him in mind,” Johnson said. The coach praised the athlete as a powerful player, capable of moving opponents from the line of scrimmage, a “luxury” that the team intends to make the most of, especially in the ground game. “I’m very pleased with it,” Johnson added.
