It took just a bit longer than some expected to get done, like days longer, but the Chicago Bears have made Darnell Wright the new highest-paid right tackle in the NFL.
Of course, the conversation can quickly turn to who's next, both in terms of Wright's positional peers and other Bears players who are in line to get paid fairly soon. On the latter front, the Bears will welcome being in a position to have to pay quarterback Caleb Williams when that time comes.
In the wake of Wright's new contract, Mark Grote and Marshall Harris of 104.3 The Score, along with Herb Howard of The Bigs Media, opined on who the next Bears' player to get a big contract will be.
Howard narrowed in on running back D'Andre Swift and cornerback Jaylon Johnson. Swift is entering a contract year, and Johnson has said he views this year as a contract year. So both of them make sense.
Grote went with defensive tackle Gervon Dexter, who could certainly get paid nicely (by the Bears or someone else) if he can put it all together this season.
Then, Harris went outside the box.
"Gimme the Protector of the Year, Joe Thuney", Harris said. "Going into this season, he'll have one year left (after this season)...if he does what he does, then I could see him cashing in for that one last big pay check on his way, not even down or out, but just like, (to) continue what he does."
Should the Bears pony up to pay Joe Thuney soon?
Howard expressed agreement with Harris, before asking the pertinent question.
What age-season would you extend Thuney into as he enters his age-34 campaign?
Harris had an answer.
"38...So a deal that gets him through 2029, let's say."
2030, should he play that long, it would be Thuney's age-38 season and his 15th in the league. The reigning Protector of the Year is a critical piece of the Bears' offensive line, though, and he has shown no signs of slowing down.
The risk with paying Thuney big money in his mid-to-late 30s is how the decline phase can come very quickly for older players who play highly physical positions. But he can make up for any slight physical erosion in other ways, and it's not a stretch to say he can play at a very high level for, using Harris' template, the next four seasons.
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Of course, the top of the market for guards just got a boost with the new contract the Tennessee Titans have given Peter Skoronski. But Thuney might be worth investing in at a high level for a couple of years beyond his current contract, as long as he maintains performance close to his current level through 2026.
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