The Chicago Bears offensive line looks like it has the potential to be a strength as we head into the 2024 NFL season.
And if that turns out to be the case, I imagine Darnell Wright will be at the heart of it all.
Wright, the Bears’ first-round pick in 2023, makes the cut for Bucky Brooks’ All-Breakout Team in 2024. More than that, Bucky says the team’s postseason dreams hinge on how well a Darnell Wright-led offensive line plays in front of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams:
The Bears’ hopes of making the playoffs inCaleb 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 sophom*ore.
MORE: Bucky Brooks’ 2024 All-Breakout Team
I constantly think about the offensive line’s importance with regards to the Bears playing a winning brand of football. The last time this team had a steady and dependable offensive line, it won 12 games, earned an NFC North championship, and hosted a playoff game. Since then, injuries and underperformance have been mainstays in the trenches. A rotating cast of offensive linemen, coaches, and philosophies didn’t help matters. But since Ryan Poles’ arrival as general manager, there has been a newfound focus on rebuilding the offensive line. And Darnell Wright is a foundational piece for that group.
What does a Darnell Wright breakout season look like for the 2024 Chicago Bears?
Unlike when folks predict break-through campaigns for skill position players on offense and defense, we don’t have statistical barometers for offensive tackles. But that should not stop us from trying to piece together what we think a true second-year breakout would look like for Bears right tackle Darnell Wright.
I suppose it begins with playing all 17 games. Wright did that last year, which is impressive when you consider that he was battling shoulder injuries for a chunk of the year. Not only did Wright play through the pain as a rookie, he held his own and was as solid while nursing an injury as he was when he was healthy. Those offensive linemen are tough mother truckers.
Another checkpoint for a Darnell Wright breakout would be maintaining solid run-blocking grades. Wright had the 36th-best run-blocking grade among 81 offensive tackles according to the number crunchers at Pro Football Focus. The 66.0 grade places him in the middle of the pack. Not bad for a rookie. And while I know that number can be better, I don’t mind that as a baseline for what Wright can do in that aspect of his game.
The one area I’d love to see Wright improve the most this season is in pass protection. PFF gave Wright a 61.4 grade as a pass-blocker during his rookie season. That can be better. A lot better. No, Wright’s pass-blocking grade wasn’t abysmal. But it did rank in the bottom half of the league and that isn’t something I’d like to see again in 2024. If Darnell Wright can improve in pass protection without taking steps back in other areas, the breakout that Bucky Brooks predicts will come. That would be wonderful news for the Bears (and terrifying for their opponents).
I feel good about the direction of the Bears offense. It feels weird to type that out, but I can’t deny my feelings. And while much of my optimism is due to the team’s improvements at skill positions, those guys won’t get theirs unless the offensive line does its job. Considering the upgrades in the trenches, it is easy to feel good about the direction of the offensive unit.
Darnell Wright is coming off a season in which he earned a spot on the PFWA’s All-Rookie team. Teaming Wright with Braxton Jones (an All-Rookie Team member after the 2022 season) gives the Bears one of the best offensive tackle tandems in football. Chicago’s offensive line has long been a much-maligned unit. It is a group that has been marred by injuries, inconsistent play, and an inability to develop talent that can protect the passer or clear running lanes. But the tide is turning, and Darnell Wright is a big part of that movement.
