Bears have massive Darnell Wright decision they must act on quickly

The Chicago Bears have a decision to make, although it should not be a tough one. They will have to decide whether to pick up the fifth-year option for right tackle Darnell Wright. They have until May 1 to decide.

In most scenarios, the Bears will pick this up; the question is only when. To be fair, they are in no rush, but it is hard to see many reasons why they would not want to.

He has ascended every year; he plays a significant position at right tackle, and last year, he flashed like a building block piece. The Bears want to build around the young talent on the roster, so building a roster around Wright makes plenty of sense.

Why would the Chicago Bears wait to pick up Darnell Wright's fifth-year option?

The fifth-year option will be just over $19 million, which would make him the sixth-highest paid right tackle. While that is a big jump in his salary, he plays up to that caliber, and the team is going to have to beat that when they talk extension anyway.

An extension is likely the only thing stopping the Bears from exercising his option. If they pick up his option, the $19 million goes on next year's cap; if they extend him, they can use the signing bonus to maneuver the money however they see fit.

However, extending him means a significant chunk of salary dedicated to him. Tristan Wirfs and Penei Sewell make $28 million per year, and Lane Johnson makes $25 million. He may not quite top the two elite talents, but the gap between $25 million and $28 million could easily be where he sits when you factor in his talent, age, and experience.

So, the Bears are likely not waiting because they have to decide on his fifth-year option. They are waiting to decide the best path forward for extending him. If they can work out an extension within the next two weeks, it would make things a lot easier for both sides in the future.

Of course, because this is a lofty number, more guarantees and longer-term discussions, it is fair that the talks may wait until the final hours, and the team will wait until the deadline to add his fifth-year option. Wright will be a member of this time moving forward; the only question is how the money gets sorted out.

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