LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — As Chicago Bears tackle Darnell Wright started giving out credit Wednesday after signing a record-setting contract extension, an obvious person he had to cite was general manager Ryan Poles.
After all, Poles not only had just signed Wright to his four-year, $116 million extension, but it was the Bears GM who picked Wright 10th in the 2023 NFL Draft after swapping the No. 9 pick with the Philadelphia Eagles, who took All-Pro
defensive tackle Jalen Carter. Wright said his gratitude had more to do with the GM's time investment rather than the hefty contract.
“Poles really invests in us besides the financial investment,” Wright said. “He really invested in me, helping me get more one-on-one time with the coaches, one-on-one time more with the strength staff, one-on-one time more with (strength assistant) Mark (Philippi) in there doing core strength. He’s helping me set it up.”
Poles took a special interest in Wright, his initial Bears first-round draft pick, and talked to coaches about making extra time to develop someone he saw with huge potential. It worked out, with Wright becoming the NFL’s highest-paid right tackle ever just days before his 25th birthday.
“They have all that stuff they are handling, but he’s really invested in me, even from a long time ago, so I really appreciate that,” Wright said.
The second-team All-Pro tackle received the richest Bears contract ever based on average annual salary and signing bonus. ESPN cited the bonus money at $93 million, the most the Bears have ever awarded on a four-year deal.
“It’s just money,” Wright said. “It doesn’t get me into heaven.”
Wright credited others within the organization for making his success possible, in particular offensive coach Dan Roushar and coach Ben Johnson.
“After practice (Wednesday), Ben said something,” Wright said. “He said I owed Dan a loan or something, which I probably do. That guy has helped me a tremendous amount. So, big shout out to him as well.
“I think first, he’s consistent every day in what he does and what he says. He’s consistent in what he’s telling you. He’s honest and, you know, some coaches I’ve had in the past or some coaches in the league, they’re not very good teachers.”
As for Johnson, the scheme the Bears coach brought from Detroit when he took over in Chicago last year helped to free up Wright to put his blocking skills on display. The Bears went from 25th in the league in rushing to third last season and gave up just 24 sacks after allowing a league-worst 68 the season before.
“Ben has the scheme and I think Ben, he premieres you in plays,” Wright said. “The biggest thing, and I’ve said it before — when he first got here, like, he instilled the confidence into me that I was going to be a part of the offense. I’ve never had a coach really come up to me and be like, ‘We’re depending on you.’
“Obviously you do your job. But ‘We’re depending on you to complete this play, and this is pretty much your play.’ Obviously you’re not getting the ball. To see a coach come in, a coach like Ben Johnson, and he has that confidence in you already, it gives you a little bit of confidence in yourself."
The Bears have a few other contract extensions to address before next year, including defensive tackle Gervon Dexter and running back D'Andre Swift. However, the really big upcoming extension would be quarterback Caleb Williams, who becomes eligible after the 2026 season.
NOTES
The Bears have become more whole on both sides of the ball after a few early injury concerns. Starting linebacker T.J. Edwards was taken off the non-football injury list and practiced Wednesday for the first time, while backup running back Kyle Monangai has returned from a soft tissue injury and was involved in a full practice.
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