The Chicago Bears have had a game of musical chairs along their offensive line well into training camp in past offseasons, but this year has been different, as they exited mandatory minicamp knowing their projected five starters. That includes right tackle, where rookie Darnell Wright has been running with the first-team offense since being taken 10th overall in this year's draft. The coaches are impressed with how well Wright has adapted to the speed of the game and his eagerness to learn the playbook. "He fell down [during an OTA practice] and did this somersault," tight end Cole Kmet said. "And it was the most graceful somersault I've ever seen a 330-pound player do. It was pretty impressive. I was like, 'Damn, that's pretty good.'"
Darnell Wright Expected To Be Day 1 Starter At Right Tackle
Chicago Bears offensive tackle Darnell Wright, the 10th overall pick in this year's NFL draft, should be penciled in as the Day 1 starter at right tackle for the team in his rookie year. Braxton Jones, meanwhile, will have the opportunity to build on the success he had as an every-game starter at left tackle as a rookie. Wright has the versatility to play both sides of the O-line, but he became a first-round pick because of what he did on the right side, and the Bears have a hole there that he'll fill nicely. The 21-year-old didn't allow a sack in 2022 and shut down Alabama pass-rusher Will Anderson Jr., who went third overall to the Houston Texans. The addition of Wright is excellent news for the continued development of quarterback Justin Fields.
Bears Swap First-Round Pick With Eagles, Select Darnell Wright
The Chicago Bears traded the No. 9 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Eagles for the No. 10 pick and a 2024 fourth-rounder. Chicago selected Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Bears could have gone a couple of directions with this pick, and with star running back Bijan Robinson off the board, Chicago addressed an offensive line need by selecting Wright. The 21-year-old allowed just eight total pressures in 2022. Wright's presence on the offensive line will only help quarterback Justin Fields and the Bears' offense.
The most talented offensive tackle in this year's draft class could be University of Tennessee's Darnell Wright, who could go as early as No. 9 to the Chicago Bears in the first round on Thursday night. Some teams have maturity concerns about Wright, but he thinks he's past the issues from early in his collegiate career. Most NFL teams have a hard time believing that he'll slide in the first round based on his immense talent. Behind Ohio State's Paris Johnson Jr., Georgia's Broderick Jones and Oklahoma's Anton Harrison are potential first-round offensive tackles. Jones is an option for the New York Jets at No. 15. Harrison is a bit of a wild card.
