We always look to insiders and local beat writers for clues as to who our team might target in the NFL draft. Maybe sometimes the smart thing to do is to ask the players themselves. While they obviously don’t have inside information, they may offer specific details that point you in the right direction. The Chicago Bears seem destined for two courses of action on Thursday night. They will either take Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter or pick one of the top offensive linemen on the board. Tennessee’s Darnell Wright is among the four most popular names.
Perhaps nobody has gained more momentum in the past few weeks than Wright. He had an excellent season in 2022, looked sharp at the Senior Bowl, and tested surprisingly well at the scouting combine despite his 330 lbs of weight. Word is the Bears have met with him multiple times during the process and like him a lot. Wright himself confirmed this in an interview with Josh Schrock of NBC Sports Chicago. He thinks the last interview at Halas Hall went well. In fact, he seems confident he’ll end up a Bear for one specific reason.
His instant connection with offensive line coach Chris Morgan.
“I talked to coach C-Mo for a long time,” Wright said. “It was funny, he was talking to me about what are some of your pet peeves? It’s funny, right off the bat, his No. 1 pet peeve and my No. 1 pet peeve are both the same thing. So, it’s going to be fun working with him if I end up with the Bears.”
“He said I want players that come in and have talent and don’t just get by,” Wright said. “He kind of explained, you know, ‘you’ve done good up to this point, but you’ve got so much more in you.’ My pet peeve is like when I feel like I can do something and I’ll establish that foundation with the team – you know you have to establish that trust before you can do anything extra – I told him how after I establish that I want to try some things and see what works best for me.
“He was like, ‘I’m going to make sure you got the foundation first.’ We got some things to work out and if that’s the only thing to work out, I think we’ll have a good relationship. He’s a good coach.”
Darnell Wright would plug the Bears’ most immediate need.
They have nobody at right tackle at the moment. Larry Borom is their best option, and it’s pretty clear the team thinks little of him. Unlike other top tackles like Paris Johnson and Broderick Jones, Wright spent his entire college career at right tackle. He could plug and play at that spot immediately for the Bears, allowing Braxton Jones to stay put on the left side. The only lingering question is whether Chicago would take him at 9th overall or if they try to trade down first.
Most projections have Wright going somewhere in the middle-teens range. So if the Bears are interested in him, then #9 would be considered a reach. It would explain the persistent rumors about Poles wanting to trade out. Moving down a few spots, getting another pick or two, and taking Darnell Wright sounds like a fun strategy. We already know the Bears like players from Tennessee, having selected Velus Jones in the 3rd round last year. If this comes to pass, we’ll have a good idea why.
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