Just Tuesday, Bears general manager Ryan Poles made it sound as if he wasn’t close to a contract extension for right tackle Darnell Wright.
Friday, though, Wright was clear — he plans to stay with the Bears for years to come.
“I know I’ll be here for a long time,” he said. “Hopefully my whole career.”
Wright is entering the fourth year of his rookie deal, though the Bears have already picked up his rookie option in 2027. Given that the option will pay about $19 million, the Bears are motivated to find a rich, but more salary cap-friendly, extension.
The Bears figure to make Wright one of the highest-paid players at his position. Earlier this week, the Vikings gave their right tackle, Brian O’Neill, a four-year, $96 million
deal with $66.7 guaranteed.
Tuesday, Poles stressed that he wanted to keep the former first-rounder.
“There’s a window to get a deal done and then at some point we’ve got to go play football,” Poles said. “So we’ll figure that part out. But obviously — I think I’ve said it before — Darnell’s a guy we want here long-term.”
That window figures to close when the Bears open against the Panthers on Sept. 13. In the past, Poles has cut extensions for Cole Kmet and DJ Moore during training camp.