When the Chicago Bears face the Arizona Cardinals, it will be a game that features two teams that selected a right tackle in the top ten of the 2023 NFL draft. For the fans who were arguing that Paris Johnson was a better prospect strictly because he was a left tackle, he has not played any left tackle this year.
The Chicago Bears rookie Darnell Wright has been as good as any other rookie tackle
Still, neither has missed any time, and both have been staples of their offensive line. They are both looking good on the rise, but both have had issues, considering they are rookies. For the Bears fans who wanted Paris Johnson and were mad that they missed out on him by a few picks, how does he stack up against Darnell Wright?
So far this year, Wright has had 936 snaps, and Johnson has had 922 snaps. Wright has 545 pass rush snaps, and Johnson is at 571. Wright has 391 run-blocking snaps, while Johnson is at 351, so the sample is rather close.
In pass protection, Wright has 43 total pressures compared to 39 from Johnson. However, Johnson has allowed eight sacks and eight quarterback hits, while Wright has seven sacks and three quarterback hits allowed. So, of the true danger pressures, Wright has been slightly better. Johnson has more reps in pass protection, so his efficiency rating is 95.2 per PFF. Meanwhile, Johnson is at 95.5. They are rather close.
Lastly, Johnson has five penalties for 55 yards, and four of them are holding. Meanwhile, Darnell Wright has 11 penalties for 86 yards, and five of them are holding calls.
Overall, Wright has graded out as the better run blocker, per PFF. However, they both have excellent upside in the running game, especially when getting into the second level. At this point, Wright has had a little more power in his punch.
While Wright has faced a tough stretch of linemen, Johnson has seen Nick Bosa twice, TJ Watt, Will Anderson, and Micah Parsons.
Overall, the future looks bright for both of these players. However, you can make a strong case that Darnell Wright has looked as good or better than Paris Johnson after 15 games of their rookie season.
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