It’s been a special season for cornerback Nahshon Wright in his first season as a member of the Chicago Bears, and he’s making it known that he hopes there are more to come in the future. Wright has been the surprise of the year for the Bears after being thrust into a starting cornerback spot. The veteran defensive back has five interceptions on the year, tied with Jaycee Horn of the Carolina Panthers for most among cornerbacks, and has eight total takeaways on the year.
Wright has been a key factor in the Bears’ 9-4 record this year, and he doesn’t want the ride to end. On Friday, the opportunistic corner joined 670 The Score’s Rahimi, Harris, & Grote Show to discuss if he and the Bears have talked about a contract extension yet. While Wright said those talks have yet to happen, he made his intentions clear as day.
“I told [my agent] that I would like to be here due to the fact that they believed in me,” Wright said. He didn’t stop there, though. “I have Al [Harris] here, Dennis Allen, who is a great defensive coordinator, and Ben [Johnson], who is doing a great job of leading this team. Me and my agent have definitely had dialogues about it, but we haven’t heard anything yet.”
— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) December 12, 2025
Wright’s upcoming free agency will be one of the more interesting storylines this offseason. After a lackluster start to his career with the Dallas Cowboys and getting traded to the Minnesota Vikings in 2024, Wright came to Chicago on a one-year deal worth $1.1 million. The expectation was he would compete for one of the final cornerback spots in an already deep position group.
Things began to change in training camp when Wright took advantage of Jaylon Johnson’s absence. He began earning starting reps and turned some heads over the summer. Johnson’s injury extended into the regular season, and suddenly, Wright was starting on Monday Night Football, where he intercepted a pass from Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy and took it for a touchdown.
Johnson wound up missing extended time during the season, and Wright never gave up his starting spot. He racked up turnovers and has found a home in Allen’s system as a boom-or-bust cornerback. While Wright has eight takeaways, he has also allowed six passing touchdowns, according to Pro Football Reference.
The Bears and general manager Ryan Poles will have an interesting dilemma on their hands. Do they find a way to extend Wright, and if so, what will his value be? The Bears’ cap situation is fairly tight going into the 2026 season with just $1.2 million in space at the moment, and they have money tied up with Johnson and Kyler Gordon, who are set to combine for $38 million against the cap at their current salaries. With other needs at different positions, would Chicago prioritize a deal for Wright?
Then there’s the question of Wright’s value in a new deal. He is set to earn a hefty raise from his $1.1 million salary after his production this season, but how much will that end up being? Two possible comps are Keisean Nixon of the Green Bay Packers and Isaiah Rodgers of the Minnesota Vikings. Nixon signed a three-year deal worth $18 million with $6.5 million guaranteed back in 2024 and became a full-time starter in Green Bay’s secondary. Rodgers signed a two-year deal worth up to $15 million with $8 million guaranteed after shining during the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl run.
These are questions that will be answered early in the offseason, but one thing is clear: Wright has found a home with the Bears and doesn’t want to go anywhere. That goes to show the type of culture Johnson and the staff have built in such a short amount of time.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears CB Nahshon Wright wants to remain in Chicago long-term.
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