The Chicago Bears' defense has been trending upward in recent weeks, playing a huge role in the five-game winning streak and pacing the NFC. In a very tough slate in November, the Bears went undefeated to take the lead in the NFC North playoff race. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's unit has been punching above its weight all season, and one of the biggest reasons has been the emergence of cornerback Nahshon Wright.
In a cornerback room decimated by injuries all season, Wright came out of nowhere to become an every-down starter amid his breakout campaign. On Thursday, it was announced that the 27-year-old CB was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for November, per The Athletic's Kevin Fishbain.
Over the five games in November, Wright played all but one defensive snap, registering three interceptions, three pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, and 19 tackles. In Weeks 12 and 13, he received Pro Football Focus grades of over 80.0, highlighting the best two-game stretch of his career.
While it's great to see Wright ball out, his emergence certainly hands the Bears a new problem.
Bears Are Reaching a Crossroads Amid Nashon Wright's Breakout
No one in the Bears organization or the fanbase thought they could get this level of production from Wright when they signed him to a one-year contract in the offseason. Wright had spent last season with the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad after all.
This emergence complicates things for the Bears going forward. Not only does this raise Wright's profile, making it harder for Chicago to re-sign him, but it also gives the Bears a very crowded CB room. Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon returned from their extended absences on Friday, and each played over 60% of the team's defensive snaps against the Philadelphia Eagles. Tyrique Stevenson missed Week 13, but is on the verge of returning. How the rotation will shake out between those four will be fascinating to watch.
The Bears have a ton invested in Gordon and Johnson after their contract extension. Johnson's starting spot on the outside and Gordon's at nickel are guaranteed. The other outside CB spot will come down to between Stevenson and Wright. With Stevenson under contract for one more season, should the Bears bring back Wright in the offseason?
On one hand, letting a player who has made such an impact and is clearly a good fit would be foolish. On the other hand, paying a fourth cornerback in the pecking order more than a minimum contract is not ideal. This will be a nice problem to have for the Bears' front office, but it will surely keep general manager Ryan Poles up at night.