The Chicago Bears have everything to gain and plenty to lose as they approach the playoffs. After winning their first division title since 2018, the Bears are in position to make a deep playoff run – especially if they clinch the No. 2 seed in the NFC on Sunday with a win over the Detroit Lions. But they are also sorting out their offseason plans to determine which players can make this season more than just a flash in the pan.
That makes the case of Nahshon Wright an interesting one. A cornerback who has amassed five interceptions and 11 pass break-ups so far this season, Wright is a lottery ticket that has hit big in the Bears’ secondary. But his volatility makes giving him a new contract a complicated decision, especially with other suitors lining up over the spring.
It makes Wright’s performance in the playoffs one to watch and one that could either make or break his future in Chicago.
Nahson Wright May Be Facing a 2026 Audition in the Playoffs
Wright has become everything the Bears could have dreamed of in his first season in Chicago. A former third-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys, Wright didn’t play a single defensive snap in 2024 after being traded to the Minnesota Vikings during training camp, and Chicago pounced on the opportunity to sign Wright when he was released last spring.
A Pick-Six in an opening night loss to his former team was a sign of things to come, and Wright became one of the most impactful players on defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s unit, making the right play at the right time. At the same time, his performance also covered up some of the deficiencies in his game.
According to Pro Football Focus, Wright’s coverage numbers look respectable at 1.14 yards per coverage snap. But he’s also allowed seven touchdowns in coverage, the fourth-highest total in the NFL behind Washington’s Mike Sainristil (10), New Orleans’s Kool-Aid McKinstry, and Brandon Stephens of the New York Jets (8). It’s also notable that despite his five interceptions, quarterbacks own a 92.7 passer rating when targeting him, a number that could be higher if Wright didn’t make those plays.
A deeper issue comes when you look at Wright’s performance in man coverage, per Pro Football Focus. Aside from allowing 1.28 yards per coverage snap, he’s also allowed a 111.5 passer rating in 139 coverage snaps in man coverage this season.
This wouldn’t appear to matter as Wright has played roughly a quarter (24.3%) of his snaps in man this season, but Allen typically played more man coverage in his previous stops, with six different corners playing man in 30% of their snaps in Allen’s final full season as head coach of the New Orleans Saints in 2023. In addition, a 30% clip would have ranked 36th among 122 qualifying corners this season, tied with Mekhi Blackmon of the Indianapolis Colts and Marshon Lattimore of the Washington Commanders.
Based on Allen’s tendencies, it would appear that he would want to get more corners that excel in man coverage to make his defense even better next season. That also makes it seem like Wright shouldn’t be in their long-term plans unless he performs well in the playoffs.
Wright has been mired in a six-game slump, but the playoffs have plenty of opportunities for him to rebound. A likely postseason matchup with the Green Bay Packers could match him up with deep-threat Christian Watson, and going up against A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith of the Philadelphia Eagles could also be a test, despite the defending Super Bowl Champions' offensive concerns.
A few more turnovers would put more pressure on the Bears to keep Wright around. But if he gives up some big plays in return, it could also cement the case for him to walk. It creates another layer to a big decision Chicago will have to make in the offseason, and Wright’s play during the playoffs could be the determining factor.