Bears hope to make exciting contract decision on star OT by training camp

The Chicago Bears didn't make a lot of massive additions this offseason, but this is still a very good team that should contend for a playoff spot and NFC North division title.

But, with the 2026 season getting ever-closer, between now in late June and the start of training camp and the regular season, is there anything this Bears team is trying to accomplish?

ESPN's Courtney Cronin revealed that the Bears have a wish with fan favorite star offensive lineman Darnell Wright. Specifically, the Bears want to sign him to a long-term deal.

Bears have a contract extension wish with Darnell Wright

"The Bears would like to get an extension done with the former first-rounder before training camp, which is typically when they've struck new deals in the past (Cole Kmet in 2023, DJ Moore in 2024)," Cronin writes on Darnell Wright.

The Bears begin their 2026 training camp on July 25 for Rookies, and July 28 for veterans. So, within the next month or so, the Bears want to sign Wright to a long-term deal.

The 24-year-old offensive tackle has been one of the better linemen in the NFL in recent years, and as the 10th overall pick from the 2023 NFL Draft, he's finally eligible for a contract extension this offseason.

Looking at the offensive tackle market, it's not going to be cheap to retain Wright for a long time. Looking at the top salaries by per-year average, the Bears can't get Wright for anything less than $20 million per-season.

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Realistically, the Bears might be spending upwards of $25 million per-year for Wright, potentially four-years, $100 million total, might be a good starting point to keep in mind for a long-term deal for Wright.

Good offensive tackles are expensive, and with the Bears having Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, Colston Loveland, and others on rookie deals, spending so much on Wright won't be a bad idea at all.

With the Bears hoping to get a long-term extension done with Wright by training camp this summer, a massive payday might be just around the corner for the 2023 first-rounder.

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