The Chicago Bears have seen plenty of turnover in their secondary since the start of NFL free agency.
One of those players was veteran cornerback Nahshon Wright, who few people thought would make such a big impact in the Windy City after being released by the Minnesota Vikings. He ended up exceeding all expectations, which included amassing five interceptions and forcing two fumbles while recovering three.
Although the one-year, $3.5 million contract he received from the New York Jets wasn't an eye-popping amount, Wright's new opportunity can't be overlooked. The Jets didn't have a single INT last season, meaning the ex-Bear will have a terrific chance to prove he can be a CB1, opening the door for a major payday next offseason.
Even though he's done with the Windy City, Wright's new contract isn't the last win he's getting from his time with the Bears.
"The NFL has announced performance-based pay distributions for 2025. Former Bears DB Nahshon Wright earned the highest amount among all NFL players for the 2025 League Year Performance-Based Pay program," 247 Sports' Zack Pearson reported on Monday. "His $1,441,397 distribution will more than double his 2025 salary."
Nahshon Wright's Post-Bears Outlook is Trending Up
The NFLPA introduced its performance-based pay program in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to reward players whose playing time and performance far exceed their actual salary, based on an undisclosed formula. Per NBC Sports' Josh Alper, it paid out more than $542 million last season.
Here's a look at how the rest of the top five rounds out when it comes to this year's bonuses, courtesy of NFL Trade Rumors' Nate Bouda:
Player | Team | Position | Financial Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
Nahshon Wright | Chicago Bears | Cornerback | $1,441,397 |
Ronnie Hickman | Cleveland Browns | Free Safety | $1,293,843 |
Elijah Wilkinson | Atlanta Falcons | Offensive Tackle | $1,272,054 |
Nick Scott | Carolina Panthers | Free Safety | $1,262,216 |
Chris Paul | Washington Commanders | Offensive Guard | $1,202,142 |
Losing a young playmaking cornerback like Wright could be a tough blow to defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and his unit.
On top of his five interceptions, he had 118 interception yards, one pick-six, 80 total tackles (54 solo), three tackles for loss, one QB hit, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and 11 passes defensed in 17 regular-season contests (16 starts).
He was also a true ironman for Ben Johnson's team. As shown by Pro Football Focus, his 1,040 snaps were the eighth-most among 217 eligible cornerbacks. He was also a stud against the run, logging a 72.9 run-defense PFF grade (23rd) and logging 24 run stops on 422 run-defense snaps.
The Bears' secondary will look quite different next season, as they've also lost Kevin Byard III, CJ Gardner-Johnson, Jaquan Brisker, and Jonathan Owens. Fortunately, Chicago is lucky to have a defensive back guru like DBs coach and defensive pass game coordinator Al Harris in the mix, leaving time to tell if he can find his next Wright-like project before the offseason is over.