LAKE FOREST, Ill. (104.3 The Score) -- Back in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Bears had the opportunity with the No. 9 overall pick to select prized-but-problematic defensive tackle prospect Jalen Carter.
Given that Carter was arrested for reckless driving charges nearly two months before the draft that year as part of a fatal crash, the Bears had no interest in selecting him. The team moved back one slot in that draft – allowing the Eagles to select Carter – and chose tackle Darnell Wright with the No. 10 pick.
On Tuesday, Carter became the highest paid defensive tackle in NFL history on a four-year, $152-million contract that included $106 million guaranteed. Shortly after that deal was struck, the Vikings signed starting tackle Brian O'Neill to a four-year deal worth $96 million.
Meanwhile, Wright continues to wait for his contract – even on a day that underscored his worth to the Bears. Sources have characterized those negotiations as stalled, sentiments that became clear as general manager Ryan Poles addressed the subject Tuesday.
"It takes two sides to get things done," Poles said. "But at the end of the day, I don’t want any distractions or anything like that. So, when it’s time to go play football, we’ll go play football and keep it moving. But, yeah, he’s a guy we would like here for a while.”
Wright, 24, has played 49 games at right tackle for the Bears over the last three seasons. He has emerged as one of the top players at his position in that time – a belief Poles has stated throughout Wright's time with the team.
But with any complex contract negotiations, the benchmarks often dictate terms. Wright is six years younger than O'Neill, so the $24-million annual average value is fair to expect at the very minimum. The richest tackle in the league is Tristan Wirfs (Buccaneers), who signed a five-year deal worth $140.6 million two years ago.
Wirfs is represented by Octagon, the same agency that is leading Wright's negotiations.
While the 27-year-old Wirfs is on a Hall of Fame path for his career, Wright has proven himself as one of the top tackles in the league.
In Wright, the Bears have a stabilizing force for their offensive line. Beyond that, he has been a drafting success for Poles' regime. While the decision to pass on Carter can be debated still, the strong performance of Wright supports that call.
So, while Carter has commanded the highest salary of any defensive tackle in NFL history – a title that is constantly changing as salaries constantly rise – Wright is now well positioned to cash in himself.
That ultimately is what the Bears want for Wright, too.
“I think there’s a window to get a deal done," Poles said. "And then at some point, we’ve got to go play football. So, we’ll figure that part out.
"Darnell’s a guy we want here long term."
Chris Emma covers the Bears and the Chicago sports scene for 104.3 The Score.
