New Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson had high praise for starting right tackle Darnell Wright, comparing him to Detroit Lions All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell, who has established himself as one of the best in the NFL.
While the Bears had a horrid offensive line last year, that allowed a league-high 68 sacks on rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, Wright proved to be the lone concrete piece in the offensive trenches.
Receiving praise and comparisons to Sewell, by both Johnson and his teammates, Wright has quite the billing to live up to. Already establishing himself as one of the best right tackles in the NFL, Sewell has been named to the Pro Bowl three times and named a two-time First-team All-Pro since he was drafted as the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft.
Meeting with the media this week while taking part in the team's offseason program, Wright responded to the Sewell comparisons, saying he hopes he can live up to the praise he is getting.
"I'm happy, I'm fortunate they think highly of me," Wright said. "Hopefully, I can live up to that."
This offseason, general manager Ryan Poles showed an incredible focus on improving the offensive line, adding Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson via trades and signing center Drew Dalman in free agency to bolster the wall in front of Williams.
With the interior of their offensive line set, things should be easier on Wright and he can continue to display his high-level talent while looking to live up to the comparisons. The rebuilt offensive line, along with the progression of Wright going into his third season, should make a world of difference for the Bears and their offense in 2025 and beyond.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears RT Darnell Wright reacts to comparisons to Lions' Penei Sewell
