The Chicago Bears failed to build momentum in their final regular-season game, falling 19-16 to the Detroit Lions on Sunday afternoon. Even though the loss was unfortunate, the Bears must focus on the postseason path ahead of them, and if they want to traverse it right to the Super Bowl, they need veteran cornerback Nahshon Wright to stop being among the team's worst defenders.
Wright has been opposing wide receivers' best friend throughout the season, and that reputation was on display this weekend. The former Oregon State Beaver conceded four catches on five targets for 68 yards and a 118.8 passer rating, according to Pro Football Focus, marking the third consecutive game where he's allowed at least three catches and a completion rate of 75.0% or better. That's without mentioning his two missed tackles, too.
With a performance like that, Bears fans have every right to be worried about Wright before the postseason. At the same time, his ongoing lackluster effort should also have the 27-year-old CB concerned about his odds of staying in Chicago this offseason.
Nahshon Wright Is Punching His Ticket Out of Chicago
The Bears thought they were doing the right thing when they took a gamble on Wright last season. He had been used sparingly by the Dallas Cowboys throughout three seasons, and after a quiet one-off campaign with the Minnesota Vikings, Chicago thought it could be the one to unlock his potential.
Well, it turns out that throwing a CB with only 182 snaps in coverage under his belt into a starting role may have been a bad idea.
The inexperience has been obvious whenever Wright's been on the field, as he's now allowed 53 catches on 83 targets for 725 yards (13.7 per catch), seven touchdowns, and a 94.7 passer rating. Yes, he does have five interceptions; however, any picks don't matter much when he's consistently burned in coverage. He's painted someone whom head coach Ben Johnson can't trust in the playoffs, while general manager Ryan Poles likely isn't rushing towards an offseason re-signing.
Wright has had a few bright moments, including his 74-yard INT return for a TD in Week 1, but those aren't good enough to guarantee the Bears will bring him back. Even if he's willing to take a paycut, he'd still be occupying a roster spot that could go to a more reliable cornerback.
Besides, the Bears' secondary has enough talent to handle a potential Wright departure. Kyler Gordon will be back and healed, while Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson are signed through 2027 and 2026, respectively. Hopefully, Chicago will also have 2025 fifth-round pick Zah Frazier, who just missed his rookie season due to a "personal issue." And that's without bringing up Josh Blackwell and Terell Smith, who will be playing in contract years and will need to step up if they want to stick around.
Between the proven starters who'll return and those looking to reach the next level, the Bears don't need to run things back with Wright. He's proven that he is who he is at this point, and that's someone who doesn't belong in defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's secondary. It's clear that he could use a fresh start, too, allowing Chicago to focus on the Gordon-Johnson-Stevenson trio leading the CB room next season.
So, unless he looks like a brand new player in the playoffs, Wright likely won't be with the Bears for much longer, meaning fans should get their goodbyes in before it's too late.