Fellow 2023 first-round OT is eyeing massive payday that should push Ryan Poles to extend Darnell Wright as soon as possible

The Chicago Bears are expected to finalize a contract extension this offseason with former first-round offensive tackle Darnell Wright and general manager Ryan Poles would be wise to beat another team to the punch.

Kole Noble — Chicago Bears News Writer

Jun 29, 2026 10:15 AM EDT

The Chicago Bears are on summer break until the start of training camp in late July, but that doesn’t mean work stops for the front office and general manager Ryan Poles has one big box he still needs to check off on the to-do list.

That one task is finalizing the long-term extension with former first-round offensive tackle Darnell Wright. The former 10th overall pick has been a steady presence for Chicago’s offensive front starting 49 games at right tackle across his first three seasons.

Wright is coming off a second-team All-Pro worthy season in his first year working under head coach Ben Johnson. He was the backbone of this offense and deserves to be for years to come. Chicago already picked up Wright’s fifth-year option in April, but he hasn’t received the long-term extension he deserves.

The expectation is that Wright will sign his deal before training camp, which is usual offseason process for how Poles has operated with former in-house extensions. However, Poles should be trying to get this deal done as soon as possible in order to beat another team to the punch.

Chicago Bears negotiations with Darnell Wright could hit a snag if the front office doesn’t work quickly

Wright’s deal with the Bears is expected to be a sizable one that would make him among the highest-paid right tackles in football. Due to a ridiculous position narrative, Wright’s deal isn’t expected to be record-breaking at the offensive tackle position, but the price should easily come in at $25+ million a year.

One thing that could cause negotiations to hit a snag is the contract extension another fellow 2023 first-round pick, Paris Johnson Jr. of the Arizona Cardinals, is looking to land before training camp.

Johnson getting $40+ million a year would be an astronomical jump for the offensive tackle market and it’s clearly a number he’s been sticking to. Currently, the highest-paid offensive tackle is Laremy Tunsil, who’s making $30.1 million per year with the Washington Commanders.

It’s worth noting that Johnson is a pure left tackle and the market usually is much more lucrative for that position compared to right tackles. It’s not entirely fair and it would be ridiculous in Wright’s mind to see a fellow 2023 draftee get $40+ million while he’s only getting $25-30 million. I mean, the stats speak for itself.

That’s should explain why Poles and the Bears need to expedite getting this deal done with Wright before the Cardinals ink this potential mega-deal with Johnson. The price only goes up the more you wait.