This offseason, the Chicago Bears and Ryan Poles will have a lot of work to do. With negative cap space, not only will Poles have to clear some money, but he will also have to re-sign key veterans.
While there's going to be movement all across the roster, no room will have more eyes on it than the defensive backfield. There are multiple free agents this offseason, but none bigger than a breakout cornerback formerly of the Dallas Cowboys.
Nahshon Wright had an incredible 2025 season, and now a free agent, the Bears will have a difficult choice to make. Amid such a looming decision, Wright got a $50 million contract projection from Spotrac.com ahead of his free agency.
Breakout ex-Cowboys DB gets $50M Bears projection
Wright is projected by Spotrac to land a three-year, $50,021,226 deal this offseason. That comes to around $16.6 million per season, which is not a small amount.
But, for a player of Wright's caliber, it might actually be a steal. That is, if his breakout in 2025 wasn't a fluke.
The 27-year-old defensive back came to Chicago after years in Dallas and one with the Minnesota Vikings. In 17 games, Wright had five interceptions, including one pick-six, to go with 11 passes defended, 80 tackles, and two forced fumbles.
He also recovered three fumbles, and in coverage allowed a passer rating of 86.8. He might've struggled a bit in the playoffs, but his breakout campaign presents a challenging choice for the Bears.
More: Bears' list of 2026 NFL draft picks, free agents and cap space going into offseason
A $50 million investment is a lot for someone that the jury is still seemingly out on, and combined with the Bears' limited cap space, and the other defensive backs that need figuring out, this might not be worth it for Chicago.
For the Bears, other than the future of DJ Moore, there might not be a more fascinating decision than what Poles and Ben Johnson decide to do with Wright.
Do they re-sign him to a long-term deal, hoping his 2025 season is a sign of more to come? Or do they let him walk, believing that his breakout year with the Bears was a fluke? It's a big decision, and one to keep a close eye on this offseason.
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