Tag: Darnell Wright

Bears GM Ryan Poles reveals hardships of being rejected by Panthers in 2021

Bears GM Ryan Poles was passed up by the Panthers in 2021. He recently called it one of the hardest moments he’s had to deal with.

If you’re a Carolina Panthers fan who has read the title of this post and still clicked into it, then perhaps you’re a glutton for punishment. But if that’s not your thing, you may want to avert your eyes and ears.

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles was featured on the latest episode of the Excellent Leadership Podcast, hosted by Chad Biagini. While discussing Poles’ journey in the NFL, Biagini asked the 38-year-old about facing rejection on the path to his current position.

Poles referred back to 2021, when he was actually a top candidate for Carolina’s general manager job. The Panthers, obviously, went in another direction—a decision that stung Poles quite a bit . . .

Carolina, instead, opted for Seattle Seahawks vice president of football operations Scott Fitterer. Poles, the executive director of player personnel for the Kansas City Chiefs at the time, would eventually be hired by Chicago.

And, ironically enough, Poles and Fitterer would go on to do some heavy business down the line.

In May of 2023, Poles and the Bears traded away that year’s No. 1 overall pick to Fitterer and the Panthers in exchange for a king’s ransom. The Panthers—for what became the draft rights to Alabama quarterback Bryce Young—shipped off two first-round picks, two second-round picks and star wideout DJ Moore.

The deal has proved to be a massive boon to the Bears, one of the league’s fastest-rising teams. Chicago got a career year out of Moore in 2023, a couple of keepers in offensive tackle Darnell Wright and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson and the No. 1 overall pick of the very next draft—quarterback Caleb Williams.

Oh, and they still have to collect on a 2025 second-round pick, which will likely end up as a pretty high one.

Conversely, the trade has yet to work out for Carolina—who relinquished a bevy of resources into that top selection. Since then, the Panthers have gone 2-16 while Young has passed for 178.7 yards per game with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

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Bears RT Darnell Wright named to 2024 NFL All-Breakout Team

Bears RT Darnell Wright is poised for a breakout second year, according to NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks.

The Chicago Bears had some impact contributors in their 2023 draft class, which included first-round pick Darnell Wright, who started all 17 games as a rookie at right tackle.

NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks released his 2024 NFL All-Breakout Team (offense-specific), and Wright made the list as a player who will be key in rookie quarterback Caleb Williams’ success.

The Bears’ hopes of making the playoffs in Caleb Williams’ debut season hinge on the performance of an offensive line anchored by this rugged right tackle with a nasty disposition. As a rookie in 2023, Wright delivered a series of eye-opening performances. With the spotlight on Williams and Co. in 2024, Wright should catch even more attention. He’s a bully on the edge with long arms and quick feet, possessing the tools and talent to play at a Pro Bowl level as a sophomore.

Wright was also named to Brooks’ All-Rookie Team following the conclusion of the 2023 season.

The Bears look to have found a franchise right tackle in Wright, who held his own against some of the league’s best pass rushers as a rookie starter. He was the only starter along the offensive line who didn’t miss a single snap last season. According to Pro Football Focus, Wright allowed six sacks and totaled 11 penalties on the season.

Following an encouraging rookie campaign, Wright is certainly a player to watch heading into the 2024 season.

Looking back on the Bears’ all-time trade in franchise history

The Bears trade of the No. 1 pick in 2023 has set them up for success in the long term.

The Chicago Bears did an incredible thing for their franchise just last year. General manager Ryan Poles pulled the trigger on a trade that redefined the franchise moving forward that will help them build a winner.

After earning the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft, as the worst team in the league, they opted to forgo selecting a quarterback and ride with Justin Fields. The result? One of the best trades in NFL history.

The Bears traded the top selection to the Carolina Panthers for a haul that has turned into wide receiver DJ Moore, right tackle Darnell Wright, cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, quarterback Caleb Williams and a 2025 second-round selection still on the way.

While the trade isn’t finalized yet — with that second rounder to be — it’s already one of the greatest trades in franchise history.

For one, Moore became their No. 1 receiver immediately. Even with inconsistent quarterback play from Justin Fields in 2023, Moore stood out as one of the best wideouts in the NFL.

Wright, selected at 10th overall in 2023, was one of the Bears’ best offensive linemen and looks the part of a franchise right tackle. It won’t be long until he is helping the Bears have one of the best offensive lines as a result.

Stevenson, selected at 56th overall in 2023, started immediately as a rookie and emerged as a playmaker in the secondary. With one year under his belt, Stevenson will look to build off a strong finish in his first season.

Carolina was the worst team in the NFL last season, which led to the Bears getting the No. 1 pick and selecting quarterback Caleb Williams. Chicago has never had a star quarterback that is considered elite. Williams may end up being that guy.

Getting Moore, Wright and Stevenson out of that trade is very good right off the bat. Add in Williams’ potential and you could be talking about one of the greatest trades ever made in NFL history.

As for Carolina, they selected Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, who struggled during his rookie year. C.J. Stroud, who was selected second overall by the Houston Texans, looks like the much better player. That is going to be a painful comparison for a long time if Young doesn’t take a step. That isn’t Chicago’s problem though as they got the best of the deal by far.

This position along Bears offensive line could be a strength in 2024

The Bears offensive line remains a work in progress, but they should be excited about the potential of Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright.

The Chicago Bears offensive line has been a work in progress since general manager Ryan Poles took over three years ago. While it’s far from a finished product, there have certainly been improvements made, including at tackle.

Pro Football Focus recently released their top 32 offensive tackle rankings, and the Bears had not one, but two guys on the list: Braxton Jones (31) and Darnell Wright (32).

Most people would agree that Jones is an above-average left tackle, but is he elite? Probably not. However, Wright may be elite one day on the right side. He was sensational in his rookie year. We’ll see if Wright becomes a Pro Bowl-caliber guy in the coming years. He has the talent to do so.

Although Jones is ranked higher than Wright, most people believe that Wright will jump higher on this list in the coming years. He’s a big part of their core and plans for the future.

Although it isn’t perfect, there is a lot of hope for this Bears offensive line, and these two tackles have a lot to do with it. If a guy like Teven Jenkins can stay healthy, they might be good enough to be a playoff-caliber offensive line.

Bears’ Braxton Jones, Darnell Wright make PFF’s list of top NFL offensive tackles

Both starting offensive tackles cracked PFF’s top 32 players at the position heading into the 2024 season.

The Chicago Bears spent the offseason overhauling their offense, from drafting quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze to acquiring veterans such as wide receiver Keenan Allen and running back D’Andre Swift. While the skill positions were upgraded, general manager Ryan Poles chose to maintain the status quo with most of the offensive line, specifically at the tackle position.

While many fans wanted to see an upgrade, one NFL analyst believes both Bears starting tackles can be considered near the top of the position rankings.

Zoltán Buday of Pro Football Focus (PFF) recently released his top 32 offensive tackles heading into the 2024 season, and both Bears starting tackles just barely cracked the list. Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright came in at No. 31 and 32, respectively, making the Bears one of nine teams to have both of their tackles listed. Here is what Buday had to say about Jones:

A fifth-round pick out of Southern Utah in 2022, Jones proved in 2023 that his impressive rookie season was not a fluke. Although he was slowed down by an injury and had a bit of a decline from his 2022 season, he is still one of 24 offensive tackles to have earned pass-blocking grades over 70.0 in each of the last two seasons.

And Wright:

The only second-year player on this list, Wright’s 66.0 run-blocking grade ranked first among his rookie class. In addition, he was also promising in pass protection toward the second half of the season after going through some growing pains in the first month. After giving up one sack in each of his first five games in the NFL, the former Tennessee Volunteer allowed just three sacks in his final 12 games.

The Bears invested a first-round pick in Wright, who was selected with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. As Buday points out, he’s the only player from his draft class to be included in this list, beating out the likes of Paris Johnson Jr., Broderick Jones, and Dawand Jones. Wright started all 17 games of his rookie season and has a bright future ahead of him.

As for Jones, many wondered if Poles would look to upgrade at the left tackle position this offseason. The 2022 fifth-round pick has been solid, but with players such as Joe Alt and Olu Fashanu available in this year’s draft, it seemed possible the Bears could move off Jones in favor of someone else. Poles chose to go in a different direction, however, meaning Jones gets to keep his starting spot as he continues to develop.

At first glance, seeing both Bears tackles at the very bottom of the list might not move the needle for fans. Seeing as there are 64 starting offensive tackles in the league, Jones and Wright are essentially considered average players at their position at this point in their careers. But on the other hand, they’re both still young and ascending. Plus, having two capable tackles is a far cry from what this offensive line looked like just a couple of years ago. With the additions at the other positions, the Bears offense is shaping up to be a solid unit in 2024.

Bears OTAs: Keenan Allen, Montez Sweat among those not participating

A few Bears players were not present at Thursday’s OTAs, including Keenan Allen and Montez Sweat.

The Chicago Bears hit the field on Thursday for their third organized team activity (OTA) practice, but it was the first one open to the media, and a few prominent players were absent from the practice field. Wide receiver Keenan Allen, defensive end Montez Sweat, tackle Darnell Wright, guard Nate Davis, and wide receiver Velus Jones were not present. Rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze was in attendance but was not practicing due to a hamstring injury he suffered during rookie minicamp.

Missing two starting wide receivers and the entire right side of the offensive line might have played a role in the offense’s struggles throughout practice. Quarterback Caleb Williams was not sharp on Thursday, missing numerous passes and holding onto the ball too long, according to CHGO’s Nicholas Moreano. Head coach Matt Eberflus isn’t concerned with the attendance, however, and notes that everyone has been in the building at some point during the voluntary offseason program.

Thursday’s practice is the last one for the Bears this week. They will return to Halas Hall on Tuesday, May 28th.

 

Bears announce T.J. Edwards, Darnell Wright recipients of Brian Piccolo Award

Every year, the Bears select a veteran and rookie to honor with the Brian Piccolo Award. This year, it’s T.J. Edwards and Darnell Wright.

Courage. Loyalty. Teamwork. Dedication. A sense of humor. Those are just a few traits that described the late Brian Piccolo.

On Tuesday, the Bears announced linebacker T.J. Edwards and offensive tackle Darnell Wright as this year’s recipients of the Brian Piccolo Award. Each year, the Bears recognize a veteran and a rookie who best exemplify the traits Piccolo displayed during his time with the team.

Edwards finished up his first season in the navy and orange after he signed a three-year deal in free agency, coming over from the Philadelphia Eagles. He quickly became one of the team’s best defenders and formed a solid duo with Tremaine Edmunds, who also came over in free agency.

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In 2023, Edwards led the team with 155 tackles (eight for a loss), totaled 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and three interceptions. He was also one of the select players who joined presumptive No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams at dinner when he was in town for his top-30 visit.

Wright, meanwhile, was the top draft choice a year ago when he was selected No. 10 overall out of Tennessee. The hulking offensive lineman started as a rookie immediately at right tackle and started every single game. Though he allowed seven sacks on the season, Wright showed plenty of promise and is a building block for this offense going forward.

Piccolo is most known for his relationship with former Bears Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers, and their friendship was the spotlight of the film Brian’s Song, which has left a profound impact on many who have watched it.

Piccolo passed away after embryonal cell carcinoma, an aggressive form of germ cell testicular cancer, had spread to his chest cavity. He was 26 years old. Still, Piccolo’s memory lives on through the stories told and an annual award that honors those traits that defined his character.

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Caleb Williams details his meeting with the Bears

Caleb Williams met with the Bears brass on Wednesday at the combine and he’s sharing what went down when he talked with them.

The Chicago Bears were only able to spend around 15-20 minutes with prospects at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, so there’s not much time to dive deep into what makes them tick, their characteristics, or how they will fit into a team’s offense or defense. But in Caleb Williams’ case, the Bears made sure to use their meeting time to work on recollection and see how he did memorizing NFL plays.

Williams spoke with NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero about his experience at the combine and what it would mean to him to be picked first overall. The conversation then turned to his time with the Bears brass, who currently hold the No. 1 overall pick. Williams was pleased with their conversation and peeled back the curtain on what they did. “It was good, everybody was cool…it was really nice,” Williams said. “They were mainly testing me on my mentals and seeing how I would handle things and putting up a play on the board and 10 minutes later, 15 minutes later, asking me to recall it, things like that.”

Hearing Poles and the Bears front office quiz Williams during their brief time together isn’t surprising. The general manager did a similar test with last year’s first-round pick, Darnell Wright, and lauded the tackle’s mental recall ability. Quarterback is arguably the hardest position to play in sports. The ability to memorize and have quick mental recall is imperative when playing the position at the highest levels. Williams didn’t reveal how he did with the quiz, but the fact that he said things went well during the meeting should be viewed as a positive.

The former Heisman Trophy winner has been the talk of the combine and left a positive impression on Friday, even after he declined to partake in the medical exams. The Bears are doing their homework on him and could be closer to making a decision about whether to draft Williams, someone else, or stick with Justin Fields.

Bears RT Darnell Wright named to PFWA’s All-Rookie Team

Bears RT Darnell Wright is garnering recognition for his impressive rookie season.

The Chicago Bears appear to have found their franchise right tackle in Darnell Wright, who had an impressive rookie season where he proved to be one of the better offensive linemen on the team.

Wright, who was drafted 10th overall, started all 17 games for Chicago, where he earned a 62.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (second among rookie tackles). Wright’s run-blocking grade of 66.0 was the best among all rookies. He also earned a 61.3 pass blocking grade.

“He’s a really good football player right now,” Bears offensive line coach Chris Morgan said, via Audacy. “And I think he’s going to be a great football player.

“The sky’s the limit. If he stays hungry, which I think he will because I think he’s the ultimate competitor deep down, I think he’s got the chance to be special. And I’ve been around a lot of good ones. He’s got a chance to be that.”

Last year, left tackle Braxton Jones was also named to the PFWA’s All-Rookie Team. The fifth-round rookie started every snap at left tackle for Chicago, and he showed promise as a long-term starter.

One noticeable snub on the 2023 PFWA All-Rookie Team is cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, who was one of the better rookie cornerbacks this season. He really came into his own during the latter half of the season, including tying for a team-best four interceptions.

Cornerback Jaylon Johnson was also named to PFWA’s All-NFC Team following a career year.

Two former Vols named to PFWA All-Rookie Team

Two former Vols named to PFWA All-Rookie Team.

Two former Vols were named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team Tuesday.

Darnell Wright and Byron Young were honored and Tennessee was one of seven schools to have multiple players named to the 2023 PFWA All-Rookie Team.

Wright, who plays for Chicago, was the SEC’s highest drafted offensive lineman in 2023 (No. 10 overall). He started 17 games for the Bears and played 99.6 percent of the team’s snaps, the most of any Chicago player.

Young, an edge rusher for the Los Angeles Rams, was drafted in the third round (No. 77 overall).

He helped Los Angeles reach the playoffs during his rookie campaign, totaling 61 total tackles, eight sacks, 19 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Young was second among all NFL rookies in sacks.