Key facts
- Bears extension for RT Darnell Wright signed Tuesday, August 4, 2026, per Yahoo Sports report timestamp
- NBC Sports and one Yahoo Sports report list the deal at $116 million over four years with $93 million guaranteed; another Yahoo Sports report says $112 million — sources disagree on exact total
- Deal reported as the richest ever for an NFL right tackle
- Wright was a 2023 first-round pick, has started 49 games in three seasons, and made AP second-team All-Pro in 2025
- Bears had already exercised Wright’s fifth-year option earlier in 2026, which would have covered him through 2027 before this new extension
The deal
The Chicago Bears signed right tackle Darnell Wright to a four-year contract extension on Tuesday, August 4, 2026. NBC Sports, citing a joint report from ESPN and NFL Network, put the total value at $116 million with $93 million guaranteed. Yahoo Sports reported the same $116 million figure in one story but listed the deal at $112 million in another, so there is a discrepancy between outlets on the exact total. Multiple outlets agree it makes Wright the highest-paid right tackle in NFL history and one of the highest-paid offensive linemen in the league.
Why it matters for the Bears
Wright was Chicago’s first-round pick in the 2023 draft. He has started 49 games across his first three NFL seasons and earned Associated Press second-team All-Pro honors in 2025. The Bears had already exercised his fifth-year option earlier in the spring, which would have kept him under contract through 2027 at a lower rate. The new extension instead locks him in on a long-term deal, giving Chicago a set right tackle for the next several years.
Where it fits in the broader market
According to CBS Sports’ breakdown of the highest-paid players by position (based on average annual value figures from Spotrac), Wright’s deal is part of a wider wave of contract extensions across the NFL this offseason as the salary cap has climbed to more than $300 million per team for 2026, more than double what it was roughly a decade ago. CBS Sports noted other position-record deals this offseason, including Patrick Mahomes becoming the first NFL player with a contract worth more than $500 million, and Bijan Robinson setting a running back record at $22.25 million per year after a roughly one-week camp holdout with the Falcons.
What’s next
With the extension in place, Wright heads into the 2026 season as a locked-in starter on Chicago’s offensive line. No further contract or roster moves tied to this deal were detailed in the reports.
Sources
Featured photo: All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)