Darnell Wright signs rookie contract with Chicago Bears, valued at over $20 million
Darnell Wright has officially signed his rookie contract with the Chicago Bears, who drafted him at No. 10 overall in the first round last month. Spotrac values Wright’s contract at $20.968 million, including $12.249 million signing bonus.
Wright, Tennessee’s standout right tackle, was the second offensive tackle taken in the draft, after Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr. went at No. 6 overall to the Arizona Cardinals. Wright was Tennessee’s first first-round pick since Derek Barnett went No. 17 overall to the Philadelphia Eagles and was the highest drafted offensive lineman from the Vols since Ja’Wuan James went No. 19 overall to the Miami Dolphins in 2014.
“I knew as far as my talent, what I could do, I knew I could go this high,” Wright told reporters on a conference call on draft night. “But it just took the right team to see that, the right coaches to know what they’re looking at. They know what I can be. I haven’t scratched the surface of what I can be. I think they know that and I know that. And it’s going to fun.”
Louis Riddick: Darnell Wright “has the ability to be the best player in this draft”
ESPN’s Louis Riddick was all in on Wright to the Bears in the moments after the pick was announced Thursday night.
“I believe that this young man, when it’s all said and done, has the ability to be the best player in this draft,” Riddick said.
Wright was one of five Tennessee players selected in the 2023 NFL Draft. Hendon Hooker, the No. 68 overall pick to the Detroit Lions, signed his rookie contract last week, valued at $5.719 million, including $1.159 million as a signing bonus.
He was the first of four Tennessee players selected in the third round, ahead of wide receivers Jalin Hyatt (No. 73, New York Giants) and Cedric Tillman (No. 74, Cleveland Browns) and edge rusher Byron Young (No. 77, Los Angeles Rams).
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Chicago Bears traded back twice before selecting Darnell Wright
The Bears had the No. 1 overall pick at the end of the NFL’s regular season, but traded it away to the Carolina Panthers. Chicago on Thursday night moved back one spot, from No. 9 to No. 10, in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles picked Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter and the Bears took Wright, adding a 2024 fourth-round pick in the trade.
Wright anchored Tennessee’s offensive line during his breakout junior season and was named a First Team All-SEC pick by the Associated Press, USA Today and SEC Coaches. He was a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award and was twice named the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week.
Wright worked with the Chicago coaching staff during the Senior Bowl in February in Mobile, where he was named the most outstanding offensive lineman during the week of practice. Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and offensive line coach Chris Morgan coached Wright throughout the week.
“It’s funny,” Wright said, “I was at the Senior Bowl and Luke was our offensive coordinator, he was part of it, and he’s the offensive coordinator of the Bears. It’s like a full-circle moment a little bit. It’s crazy. It means a lot, that I already have a relationship a little bit with that guy.”
