It’s a tough adjustment for any rookie, regardless of position, to make to NFL life, but offensive linemen have it particularly tough. Of all the positions in the league, defensive lineman are arguably the most talented when compared between collegiate and professional levels.
In other words, being able to adjust rapidly is a remarkable skill. Right tackle Darnell Wright of the Chicago Bears, the only player on the team’s offensive line to start every one of the team’s 17 games, accomplished precisely that in 2023.
Now that his rookie season is over, let’s take a look at how a few draft gurus rated his first year and provide some assessments of my own in the process.
James Foster’s Grade for Darnell Wright: B
The Rationale:
“I think purely his output and production as a rookie, he was the best first round offensive lineman. The main negative for a lot of players is just they need to get stronger and Darnell Wright is one of the few players that I would not say that about. He’s got such a strong anchor that they didn’t even try to hit him with a bull rush that frequently. He moves his feet really well for a tackle that size. What really ties it together is how skilled he is with his hands. He doesn’t put himself into compromising situations and he does a good job of countering the moves that pass rushers try to throw at him. I think the Bears have a future franchise right tackle. Darnell Wright is still someone that had some growing pains, but I think you have to feel confident, if you’re a Bears’ fan, about Darnell Wright.”
Destin Adams’ Grade for Darnell Wright: B+
The Rationale:
“The reason it keeps it out of the “A” range for me is because I think Darnell Wright is pretty much pigeon holed as a right tackle. I don’t think he’s a guy that’s going to switch to the left side of the ball. I’m also really interested to see how he does in pass protection with a quarterback like Caleb Williams who does a lot of his work outside the pocket. But, I think Darnell Wright, as a right tackle, did everything you want to see and do last year. I think you saw how strong this guy can be. I think he’s a guy that’s going to be very impactful in the run game.”
My Grade for Darnell Wright: B+
The grade I had for Wright is the exact same B+ grade Destin Adams had for the Bears’ starting right tackle during my evaluation a few months back of all the team’s rookies during the 2023 season.
What really stood out to me about Wright’s rookie campaign was the hunger to consistently improve and bounce back from having a bad game. During the second half of the season, Wright played extremely well, allowing only two sacks from Weeks 8-18 but allowed seven of his 11 penalties during Weeks 9-18.
Wright lined up against some of the league’s top edge rushers during the 2023 season and handled himself very well for a player during his rookie campaign. I think going into Year 2, Wright will make even more of a jump to become more consistent in pass protection, but like Adams, I’m interested to see what Wright’s improvement will look like with Caleb Williams at quarterback instead of Justin Fields.
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