Former Tennessee right tackle Darnell Wright has landed a deal that resets the market.
On Tuesday, Wright signed a five-year, $116 million extension with the Chicago Bears, according to Ian Rappaport and Jeremy Fowler. The size of the contract was eye-catching on its own, but the real headline is the $93 million guaranteed, which is the most ever for an offensive lineman.
Wright is heading into his fourth season in Chicago and has already become a major piece of the Bears’ turnaround. He helped anchor a 2025 team that finished 11-6 and won a playoff game for the first time since 2010.
Chicago selected Wright with the 10th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and he has started every game as a full-time starter since arriving. His first two seasons had their ups and downs, but he took a major step forward a year ago and emerged as one of the NFL’s top offensive tackles.
At Tennessee, Wright’s rise was just as steady. He originally signed to play for Jeremy Pruitt and remained with the Vols after Josh Heupel became head coach. After a solid 2021 season, he turned into one of the most important players on Tennessee’s breakout 2022 team.
That year, Wright earned SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors twice and was a unanimous First Team All-SEC selection. He was also one of 14 FBS players to log more than 850 snaps without allowing a sack. One of his most impressive performances came against Alabama star Will Anderson in the Vols’ legendary losing streak ending loss.
Wright has been one of the most successful Tennessee players from the Heupel era to reach the NFL. While offensive skill players have had a tougher time making that jump, Wright and former edge rusher Byron Young have become two of the best VFLs in the league.
In Other News...
Tennessee Fans Have One Big Question About TK Keys After Camp Start
The first day of fall practice brought an early glimpse of Tennessees freshman receiver class, and TK Keys was among the names that stood out for a different reason. The highly ranked recruit was limited in some drills as camp opened, a reminder that the transition into August can still come with a few rough edges even for a player the Volunteers are excited about. In a wide receiver room that already has plenty of bodies in the mix, every rep matters, especially for newcomers trying to carve out a role.
Josh Heupel has seen enough from Keys to remain upbeat about where he is headed, praising both his development and his competitiveness. The bigger picture for Tennessee is straightforward: Keys is competing for playing time alongside receivers such as Radarious Jackson and Travis Smith Jr., and the depth chart will not sort itself out quickly. What makes his situation worth watching is how soon he can move past the lingering issue that has kept him eased in at the start of camp. [Read more 🡒]
Former Vol Holden Staes Suddenly Has A New Football Path
A recent court ruling out of Colorado has opened a new wrinkle in college football eligibility, and it could matter to former Tennessee tight end Holden Staes. The move may create a path for athletes from the 2022 class to gain a fifth year, which is notable because Staes already wrapped up his senior year after finishing at Indiana, where he was part of a national championship run.
Staes journey has already taken him from Notre Dame to Tennessee and then to Indiana, and he has 38 career catches for 380 yards across those stops. With that background, the possibility of another college season is suddenly back on the table, and he has indicated he is exploring a return to the college game as the eligibility picture continues to sort itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Zakai Zeigler Just Raised The Stakes In His NCAA Fight
Zakai Zeiglers fight with the NCAA has already moved well beyond a simple eligibility dispute. The former Tennessee guard first sought an extra year to keep playing college basketball, then watched the legal battle grow more complicated as the NCAA shifted to a new five-years-in-five-seasons framework that changed the landscape for student-athletes across the sport.
Even with that rule change, the path was not immediately smooth for players in Zeiglers position, and his case kept moving through the courts instead of resolving in his favor. After those early setbacks, Zeigler took a different route and began his professional career in France, leaving Tennessee fans to wonder how much the legal fight might still matter and whether there is any chance for a longer-term payoff. [Read more 🡒]