The Chicago Bears Face a Crucial Decision: Is Darnell Wright Worth the 5th Year Gamble?

So, the NFL just dropped the 2026 salary cap, and the number’s ringing in at a cool $301.2 million—a solid jump of $22 million from last year, though not quite the fireworks some folks were expecting. Now here’s where things get spicy for the Bears—they’re sitting roughly $10 million over the cap as the league’s new year ticks closer on March 11. A few smart moves—like restructuring contracts and trimming the payroll—and they’ll steer back under the line no problem. But that’s not all on their plate. May 1 is looming, the deadline for locking in the fifth-year option on first-round picks from 2023. For Darnell Wright, their starting right tackle, that means a 2027 option price tag of $19,072,000, given he’s ticked the required playtime boxes despite not yet snagging a Pro Bowl nod. Wright’s development curve has been impressive—he’s just shy of 25, fresh off a second-team All-Pro spot, and a prime candidate for a contract extension anytime. Given all this, picking up his option seems like a slam dunk, and I wouldn’t blink if a $25 million per season deal is quietly brewing behind the scenes. LEARN MORE

A couple of days ago, the NFL set the salary cap number for the 2026 season at t $301.2 million. That’s a healthy $22 million increase over last year, but not quite as big a jump as some predicted. Teams must all be cap-compliant by the start of the league’s new year on March 11, so with the Chicago Bears currently about $10 million over, they have a little work to do. A few restructures and releases, and they’ll get under the salary cap in no time.

Another date the Bears have to think about is the May 1 deadline for clubs to exercise the fifth-year option on players selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. With the cap set, the Bears now know what that option number will be for starting right tackle Darnell Wright, and since Wright has yet to make a Pro Bowl but has met the playing-time criteria, the 2027 option for Wright would be $19,072,000.

Wright, who will turn 25 in August, has gotten better each year, and while he’s yet to make a Pro Bowl, he’s coming off a second-team All-Pro nod. His cap hit in 2026 is $6,671,722, and since he’s played three years, he is eligible for a contract extension anytime.

Picking up the option is a no-brainer, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a contract extension worth about $25 million per season is in the works.