The Chicago Bears concluded their 2025 season, where they finished with an 11-6 record, an NFC North title and their first playoff win in 15 years under first-year head coach Ben Johnson. And there’s no denying that the future is incredibly bright.
Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll be counting down our 15 Most Impactful Bears from the 2025 season, which features plenty of young talent that made huge contributions in Chicago’s magical season. We’ll recap their 2025 season and look ahead to how they factor into 2026. There were plenty of top talent to highlight this season, which made for difficult decisions when narrowing the field to just 15 players and/or coaches.
At No. 6 is tackle Darnell Wright, who lived up to the challenge from his new coaching staff and became an All-Pro protector on the offensive line in Year 3.
The Basics
2025 stats
2025 recap
Entering the 2025 season, Darnell Wright was already an established right tackle in the league. He had been the anchor on the right side of the offensive line ever since his rookie season, all while working with different guards next to him, from Teven Jenkins to Nate Davis. Wright was good, but he was still looking to reach his potential as a great tackle. All of it finally clicked in his third season with new offensive line coach Dan Roushar and veteran guard Jonah Jackson. Wright had the best season of his career and became the franchise tackle the Bears envisioned when he was the No. 10 overall pick in 2023. He and Jackson formed a lethal blocking duo, particularly in the run game. Wright became a monster who bullied defenders off the ball and played with an attitude we had not seen. When it came to pass protection, Wright allowed just three sacks and three hits in 638 pass-blocking snaps. For his efforts, Wright was named Second-Team all-Pro at this position.
2026 outlook
Entering the 2026 season, Wright is eligible to sign an extension—something no Bears first-round pick has done since Kyler Fuller back in 2018—and it’s possible it happens sooner rather than later. At the very least, the Bears are expected to pick up his fifth-year option, ensuring Wright will be under contract through the 2027 season. At some point, though, the Bears will commit to Wright long-term now that he has ascended to become one of the best right tackles in the NFL. And playing next to Jackson over the next year or two should keep the right side of the offensive line formidable. Barring a surprise, Wright will be a Bear for a long time, protecting Caleb Williams in the pocket and creating running lanes for the running backs.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Most Impactful Bears of 2025: No. 6 Darnell Wright
Reporting by Brendan Sugrue and Alyssa Barbieri, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
