Why early fan concern about Bears OT Darnell Wright is completely absurd
The Chicago Bears selected Tennessee Vols offensive lineman Darnell Wright with the No. 10 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. Because Wright was drafted so high, he'll face lofty expectations as a rookie in 2023. And there won't be a lot of patience from fans when it comes to Wright's development (welcome to the […]
The Chicago Bears selected Tennessee Vols offensive lineman Darnell Wright with the No. 10 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Because Wright was drafted so high, he'll face lofty expectations as a rookie in 2023. And there won't be a lot of patience from fans when it comes to Wright's development (welcome to the NFL…it's a "what have you done for me lately" kind of world).
Wright will be excepted to keep quarterback Justin Fields as clean as possible starting this fall.
There's already some early concern from Bears fans that Wright could be a "bust" (which is completely absurd to suggest less than two months after Wright was drafted).
The concern stems from a tweet on Tuesday from Chicago Tribune Bears reporter Brad Biggs.
Biggs pointed out that linebacker Terrell Lewis, a former Alabama standout, "blew past" Wright on three snaps during minicamp on Tuesday.
That tweet led to a litany of frustrated responses from Bears fans that are already expressing concern about Wright.
There's zero reason for any panic from Bears fans. For starters, the players aren't even in pads. And it's nearly impossible to evaluate offensive linemen in a non-padded practice (at least when it comes to whether or not a player is a "bust").
Secondly, it's June. It's Wright's first exposure to NFL talent. And Lewis, a former third-round draft pick, has three years of NFL experience to Wright's 0 weeks of NFL experience. It's not a surprise that a player who spent three seasons learning from Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald got the best of Wright during a non-padded practice.
There's something else to consider here, too. Wright is going to get beat some as a pro. This is the NFL — it's the best of the best.
Getting beat in practice, however, isn't necessarily a bad thing — as long as Wright learns from it. He needs to be exposed to different moves/techniques ahead of the season so he can be fully prepared for what he'll face this fall.
Fans getting worked up over a non-padded practice in June is incredibly silly. I don't know how Wright's career will turn out, but I know I'm not going to make any assumptions based off what he does during a random minicamp practice in June.
Featured image via Jamar Coach / USA TODAY NETWORK
