The Chicago Bears took a risk on the first day of the 2023 draft. GM Ryan Poles knew who he wanted. So when he got a call from the Philadelphia Eagles to swap places, it was an easy decision. They took Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter. Chicago went with Tennessee right tackle Darnell Wright. Most experts thought Carter was a lock for the Bears. He was the exact type of interior pass rusher Matt Eberflus would've loved. However, Poles felt the offensive line needed an anchor to build around. While not entirely untrue, many viewed Wright as somewhat of a reach at the time.
Recent evidence suggests Poles knew what he was doing. Andrew Whitworth is destined for the Hall of Fame. He was one of the best left tackles in the NFL in the past quarter-century. So he has a sharp eye for what good players look like. He's quickly falling in love with Wright, who he thinks will anchor the Bears' offensive line for years to come. That would be a departure for this organization, which hasn't employed an offensive tackle for a decade or longer since Keith Van Horne retired in 1994.
The Chicago Bears have constructed one of their best offensive lines.
Suddenly, they have proven commodities at almost every position up front. Joe Thuney is still a stud at left guard. Drew Dalman has played some of his best football at center. Jonah Jackson regained his old Detroit form at right guard. Yet it's Wright who has blossomed the most, transforming into a star. He has allowed six pressures in 273 snaps this season. That is better than Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro Lane Johnson. If that weren't enough, he is also the second-highest-rated run blocker in the NFL, trailing only Detroit's Penei Sewell.
Wright is not a one-trick pony. He can do it all. This is the culmination of everything the Chicago Bears envisioned when they drafted him. No doubt the arrival of offensive line coach Dan Roushar was a critical piece to that puzzle, along with head coach Ben Johnson. History says the Bears tend to win a lot of football games when they have at least one star up front.
