Bears give emerging star tackle Darnell Wright record-breaking four-year, $116 million deal

The Bears are doing everything they can to ensure quarterback Caleb Williams succeeds. ESPN reported Tuesday that the Bears inked Darnell Wright to a historic four-year, $116 million contract, the largest deal ever for a right tackle.The contract includes $93 million guaranteed, the most for an offensive lineman in NFL history. Wright’s $29 million annual value also ranks second among all offensive tackles, behind just the Commanders’ Laremy Tunsil at $30.1 million. Bears general manager Ryan Poles took Wright in the first round of the 2023 draft, and he’s blossomed into a franchise cornerstone ever since. He’s most recently coming off an All-Pro 2025 season in which he helped anchor a Bears offensive line that ranked third in rushing and top-10 overall. Wright allowed just 19 pressures in pass protection last season while giving up three sacks and three hits to opposing pass rushers. He was also playing through a shoulder injury, but managed to have the fourth-best pass block win rate in the league at 95.2 percent. When asked about a timetable for an extension earlier in training camp, Wright said it was bound to happen soon. “Obviously, I know I’ll be here for a long time, hopefully my whole career,” he told reporters last week.“Those things kind of just handle themselves but I mean, I just have to stay focused on the main things.

That’s just getting better, consistency every day.”Wright should continue to be a mainstay on the Bears offensive line for the foreseeable future as the team looks to establish a top-tier offense. The Bears are coming off an 11-6 season in 2025, where they won their first playoff game since 2011....