New Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson leaves no doubt how he feels about former Tennessee Vols offensive lineman Darnell Wright
Former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was named as the new head coach of the Chicago Bears in late January. One of the players that Johnson is set to inherit in Chicago is former Tennessee Vols offensive lineman Darnell Wright. Wright, who was selected by the Bears in the first round of the 2023 […]
Former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was named as the new head coach of the Chicago Bears in late January.
One of the players that Johnson is set to inherit in Chicago is former Tennessee Vols offensive lineman Darnell Wright.
Wright, who was selected by the Bears in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, just finished up his second season in Chicago as the franchise's starting right tackle.
Johnson was asked about Wright at the NFL scouting combine this past week. The first-time head coach made it clear that he's a fan of Wright while comparing the West Virginia native to three-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman Penei Sewell (Johnson coached Sewell in Detroit).
"I see Darnell Wright very much in the same mold as a Penei Sewell," said Johnson. "We tried to do things the last three years in Detroit to highlight Sewell in place, highlight him on one-on-one blocks, him against their best defensive lineman, I see the same thing with Darnell. I'm looking forward to getting to know him a little bit more. But what I saw on tape last year showed a lot of promise in terms of the player he can be."
It's certainly no surprise to hear that Johnson is a fan of Wright.
The former five-star recruit, who played at Tennessee from 2019 to 2022, was the fifth-highest graded right tackle in the NFL in 2024.
2024 PFF grades for Darnell Wright:
Overall grade: 79.3
Pass blocking grade: 75.4
Run blocking grade: 82.2
Snaps played: 1021
Penalties: 8
Sacks allowed: 6
Wright has quickly solidified himself as a mainstay along the Bears' offensive line. It's only a matter of time until the former Vol reaches his first career Pro Bowl.
