The Chicago Bears' offensive line woes might finally be a thing of the past. With a new starting left tackle in Theo Benedet and the unit getting more reps together, they're finally giving Caleb Williams a clean pocket and some time and space to operate.
A lot of that has had to do with Darnell Wright. The Bears' right tackle went viral for his one-arm block against the New York Giants last Sunday, and he's taken a huge step forward in his third year in the league. That's why, ahead of another divisional matchup, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell had to give him his flowers.
Kevin O'Connell Tips His Hat to Darnell Wright
"I think their offensive line is probably not getting talked about enough," O'Connell said during his Wednesday press conference. "You know, Darnell Wright, when I turn on the tape, I see one of the best Right Tackles in football, and I think their additions at center and guard have shown up and been pretty consistently healthy and been out there on the field gelling together. And they made the switch at left tackle, and you see the production they're getting out of that position."
Truth be told, it's hard to disagree with that statement. Wright keeps getting better every week, and he's driven his Pro Football Focus grade to 79.2, which ranks 13th in the league. Moreover, he's third in the league with a run-blocking grade of 85.9.
The former No. 10 pick is finally living up to his draft stock, and his impact cannot be overlooked. His recent surge has the Bears' offense buzzing, logging 171 rushing yards and 24 points last Sunday, right after putting up 47 points and a whopping 283 rushing yards in the previous week.
Granted, the Giants and Cincinnati Bengals aren't necessarily known for their defensive expertise. Still, Wright's play has been instrumental to Caleb Williams' recent success. Williams leads all quarterbacks with a 91.1 PFF grade in the past couple of weeks, and he's finally showing what he's capable of when given a clean pocket.
Now, Wright and the Bears' offensive line will be in for a huge challenge against the Vikings. Brian Flores' exotic blitz packages often keep quarterbacks guessing, as they don't even know where the pressure is coming from. They rank seventh in the league with an 8.7 percent sack percentage, and they did sack Williams twice in their first meeting this season.