We have been saying for the past few weeks that Darnell Wright is transforming into one of the NFL’s best right tackles. However, his domination came against some lesser competition in recent weeks. People weren’t ready to accept this reality until he faced actual good opponents. That moment arrived on Sunday against the New York Giants and star pass rusher Brian Burns. The Chicago Bears trailed 20-10 with under six minutes to play. They faced 3rd and 10 from their own 26-yard line. A failed conversion would likely drain whatever life they had left to come back.
It was here that Wright came to the rescue.
New York got him matched up against Burns, who has 11 sacks this season. It was one-on-one. Wright would not get any help. He didn’t need it. The Bears tackle proceeded to counter a Burns spin move with one arm, knocking him to the turf in the process. This allowed Caleb Williams to avoid Abdul Carter with a spin out, buying enough time to find Colston Loveland for a critical first down. Five plays later, the Bears were in the end zone, cutting the deficit to 20-17. That block kick-started the comeback.
Darnell Wright is becoming everything the Bears hoped for.
GM Ryan Poles took a considerable risk in 2023. He passed on Jalen Carter, the uber-talented Georgia defensive tackle, when he traded with the Philadelphia Eagles to swap spots from #9 to #10. Then he took Darnell Wright, who many experts thought wasn’t top 10 worthy. Chicago saw a big, strong and athletic player who was one of the best pass protectors in the class. They felt that if he could clean up some of his technical issues and improve his run-blocking, he’d be a monster.
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They were correct. It took a few years and an upgraded coaching staff, but we’re finally seeing who the Bears envisioned when they turned in that card. If Wright maintains this form moving forward, the offensive line is about to enter one of the best periods it’s had in a long time. That is great news for Williams and the offense in general.
