LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) — Veteran right guard Jonah Jackson was well aware of where he’d fit on the Bears' offensive line when Chicago acquired him in a trade in March.
Jackson will slot in between new Bears center Drew Dalman, who's part of a revamped interior line, and right tackle Darnell Wright, a potential mainstay. Jackson is familiar with Wright's ability, having watched plenty of Bears tape in 2023 while playing for the Lions.
“He has a lot of similarities to the other guy I played with in Detroit, Penei (Sewell),” Jackson said of Wright in March. “Just special, pure, raw power. I’m excited to get to work with him, help him get better, let him help me get better. It’s going to be fun.”
The reserved Wright glowed a bit Tuesday morning when that comparison to Sewell was referenced.
"Obviously, I watch him all the time,” Wright said. “And just because I feel like his body type is similar to mine and then being in the same (division), obviously, his tape comes up. So, I’m always watching him, yeah, I try to emulate some of the things he does.
“Hopefully I can live up to that because he’s a really, really good player and I try to emulate some of his stuff."
Sewell, 24, is a three-time Pro Bowl right tackle and a two-time All-Pro who’s one of the best players in the NFL at his position. The No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Sewell has been a pivotal figure in the Lions’ turnaround.
The 23-year-old Wright, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, also has lofty potential. He has started all but one game at right tackle across his first two NFL seasons.
“That’s a guy that continues to get better every single year,” Bears general manager Ryan Poles said of Wright early this offseason.
Wright's focus is now on making a crucial jump in his third NFL season. He’s playing for a new head coach in Ben Johnson, who coached Sewell in Detroit, and is part of an offensive line that has been significantly upgraded.
Pressed on his own personal goals this season, Wright shrugged off the question.
“I’m not going to tell anyone,” he said.
Wright is positioned to have a breakthrough season individually, and the Bears certainly hope to see that come to fruition. That would help bring stability to an offensive line that struggled in 2024, and it would also be symbolic in the sense that a franchise cornerstone in quarterback Caleb Williams would be protected by another cornerstone at right tackle.
If Wright can live up to the Bears' high hopes, the comparisons to Sewell will seem natural.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.