The Chicago Bears offensive line has endured a rough start to the 2024 season. Not only have they allowed 13 sacks in the first three games, but they've also blocked for the third-worst rushing attack in the league. Nothing is going right for them. During that span, most of the criticism has been levied at the interior where center Coleman Shelton and right guard Nate Davis were responsible for many of the issues. Even Teven Jenkins had mental lapses. However, it appears right tackle Darnell Wright may add to their headaches.
Head coach Matt Eberflus revealed on Wednesday that the former 1st round pick is dealing with a back issue and would miss practices. The team is hoping some rest will help alleviate the issue. While they are hopeful he can recover in time for the game on Sunday, it sounds as if they are making plans in case he can't. Anybody who knows football can tell you back problems are never good for offensive linemen, especially bigger ones like Wright. One can only hope it isn't too serious.
This Darnell Wright issue might not be new.
Some speculate that the back problems started in training camp. He was getting a lot of rest days and had strange movement patterns that weren't showing up last year. It is possible he is battling through a persistent injury that can't be corrected with surgery without costing him significant time. We already know Wright is willing to play through pain. He dealt with a shoulder injury for much of last season and didn't miss any time. His history suggests he will do his best to work through it.
Either way, the Bears are in a tough spot. They must gamble on a tackle who probably won't be 100% all year or gamble on a backup option like Matt Pryor or rookie Kiran Amegadjie. It's not ideal. If one were a betting man, Darnell Wright would likely tough it out. The next 48 hours will say a lot.
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