Darnell Wright of Huntington, West Virginia became the highest paid right tackle in National Football League history according to Joe Smith of Touchdown Wire on Wednesday. Wright signed a four year contract extension with the Chicago Bears worth $116 million. It should be noted that $93 million of the contract is guaranteed.
Wright will be making $29 million per year as part of the extension. The previously highest paid right tackle was David Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles. The native of Groverton, Texas is making $25 million per year.
Wright is not the highest paid offensive lineman in the NFL. The highest paid offensive lineman is Washington Commanders left tackle Laremy Tunsil of Lake City, Florida, who is making $30.1 million. Tunsil was traded to the Commanders from the Houston Texans in a deal that had a lot of draft picks involved on March 15, 2025.
Initially Wright was the first round draft pick, 10th overall, by the Bears in the 2023 NFL Draft out of the University of Tennessee. He was the second offensive lineman taken in the 2023 NFL Draft. The only offensive lineman taken higher was Paris Johnson Jr. of Cincinnati, Ohio, who was drafted sixth overall by the Arizona Cardinals out of Ohio State.
Wright has played 49 games with the Bears over the last three years. He is currently listed at 6’5″, 325 pounds. In his first NFL season in 2023, Wright was part of the NFL’s All-Rookie Team. When Ben Johnson was hired as the Bears head coach, Wright was the only starting offensive lineman the Bears kept.
