New Chicago Bears offensive tackle Darnell Wright was in the middle of a three-hour stretch of interviews with local sports radio personalities, TV broadcasters and sports writers Friday at Halas Hall when he was asked about the expectations he faces in his new home.
After months of buildup around the draft in Chicago, the Bears selected Wright at No. 10 on Thursday night, and he arrived in Lake Forest as the likely starter at right tackle going into his rookie season. As the Bears try to build up their offense around quarterback Justin Fields, general manager Ryan Poles and his staff believe Wright can be a tone-setter on the line.
Wright, who started 42 games over four seasons at Tennessee, didn’t back away from those hopes.
“I embrace expectations upon myself,” Wright said. “I have expectations upon myself bigger than just football. I have expectations to take care of my family. I don’t know what my role for the team is, but whatever that role is I’m going to take it full on and do the best I can.”
Wright, 21, was the first pick of a key draft for Poles in his second offseason rebuilding the roster. The Bears entered Day 2 with pick Nos. 53 and 61 in the second round and No. 64 in the third round and crucial holes to fill on the defensive line.
Wright was an important pick because the Bears didn’t have a great righttackle option opposite Braxton Jones, who started all 17 games in his rookie season.
“It gives me a lot of confidence that they think that I can come in and help them in any type of way,” Wright said.
At his introduction Friday at Halas Hall, Wright showed off his No. 58 Bears jersey and talked about his journey to becoming that player who is facing big expectations. Here are four other things we heard from Wright and Tennessee coach Josh Heupel, who did a conference call with reporters Friday afternoon.
Poles called Wright a tone-setter, saying he brings a nasty edge to the line. Wright agreed he’s able to do that.
“There’s a certain switch that you flip when it’s time to play,” Wright said. “I flip that switch.”
Heupel, who took over the Tennessee program in 2021, said that edge came out over time as Wright became more confident in his role.
“He grew on the fundamental and technique side of it, but I think as he gained confidence and comfort and really grew into his personality and who he is, you could see his competitive nature show up in the meeting room,” Heupel said. “The urgency that he prepared with, how he affected the guys around him and then that started to show up on the field with his physicality, his energy. And there’s times on the sideline you could feel that urgency in moments where you needed someone to step up.”
Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr., whom the Houston Texans drafted at No. 3, said during the predraft process that Wright was the toughest player he went up against.
Poles noted on Thursday night that Wright faced tough talent in the SEC each week, and Heupel said he rose to the occasion in those games.
“If you go through his last two seasons here, this season in particular, he played against the top guys that were in this year’s draft, last year’s draft. And he played at an elite level,” Heupel said. “The best thing as a coach is when you have comfort that you feel like you have the luxury to put him on an island. You don’t have to protect him, and he’s going to handle what’s probably the biggest factor on the opposing side of the field. And Darnell did that consistently over the last two years — absolute elite level this past year.
“Will Anderson, he did a fantastic job with them for 60 minutes and handled himself in a really dominant fashion throughout the course of his career. I’m really excited about what he’s got coming next.”
Wright said that game against Alabama, which Tennessee won 52-49 on a last-second field goal to break a 15-game losing streak to the Crimson Tide, was the best atmosphere he played in. Anderson had three tackles and a half-tackle for a loss in the game.
”I was trying to get off the field (after the game), but some strong dude grabbed me as I was trying to get up out of there,” Wright said of the celebration. “Everybody was swarming and it was crazy. I eventually got up out of there, but it was crazy.”
Heupel said that from the time he arrived at Tennessee he saw Wright make major strides in his development, work habits and football knowledge.
Wright, who will turn 22 in August, said that came from increased maturity and learning how to establish a routine. He was named first-team all-SEC after his senior season, in which he started 13 games at right tackle.
“He is somebody who was able to look himself in the mirror and truly see his potential had the chance to be realized,” Heupel said. “He is somebody who gained great confidence in his work habits and through his work habits, and that allowed him to refine his play. When he got here, I would describe him as a very young football player. That was fundamentally, but it was also just in his football IQ. Over the last two years, that guy has grown in that in an unbelievable way.
“And I think that was a huge part of his draft process, his being able to showcase his knowledge of the game, not just what he was doing but what all five guys were doing and what we were doing against different defenses, schemes and alignments. I’m really proud of the steps he took.”
Wright started at right tackle as a freshman and sophomore (with a couple of starts at right guard), moved to left tackle for 13 starts in 2021 because of the Vols’ roster situation and then was back on the right side in 2022.
Wright said he doesn’t know if he has a dominant side but thinks it could be easier if he can settle into one side early.
“He’s got the versatility to play both sides and is fully capable of playing both sides,” Heupel said. “He has comfort in playing both sides. Ultimately where Chicago initially puts him, I don’t know. … But he’s comfortable with both, he has the talent to play both, and I think that versatility will help him throughout his career at that level.”
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