Nahshon Wright
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Chicago Bears secondary room.
As training camp unfolds, one name that continues to garner attention is cornerback Nahshon Wright. Standing at 6-foot-4, the Chicago Bears cornerback possesses rare height for the position, and he’s using it to his full advantage. Once a third-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 2021, Wright is now entering his fifth NFL season, but this year might have a huge role in store for him.
Remember the Name: Nahshon Wright
After being released by the Minnesota Vikings on April 7th, Wright signed with the Bears the day after, and he couldn’t be more excited to reunite with defensive backs coach Al Harris, who coached Wright during his time in Dallas.
“I would love to play for Al as long as I possibly can,” Wright said. “He’s had me since I was a rookie, so he’s kind of taught me everything I know up until this point, besides college.”
Harris is also just as thrilled to have Wright back on his side. “He’s one of the guys that I got a chance to quote-unquote raise up from the beginning. He’s very coachable, his football IQ is high, and his size, that’s what you want as a corner.”
Harris isn’t the only one who’s praised Wright this offseason. Head coach Ben Johnson describes Wright as a baller, often making plays on the ball with the No. 1 defense taking over for injured cornerback Jaylon Johnson.
“He’s got a lot of turnovers in the spring,” Johnson said. “I have full trust in him. He’s a veteran. Long corner. Being able to stick with some of these receivers. I really like what I have seen from him.”
Wright’s combination of size, length, and football IQ has not only earned him the trust among the coaching staff but also high praise from his teammates on both sides of the ball.
“He’s a good communicator,” said slot cornerback Kyler Gordon. “He’s on his stuff…Got great technique. There’s really no drop-off. He’s been a great teammate, great player.”
Wide receiver Rome Odunze shared Gordon’s praise for Wright, stating, “He’s a baller. There are not many 6-4 corners out there with his capabilities and his suddenness and agility, so it’s been a challenge going against him every single day. I’m glad we have a guy like that on the roster so I can compete against and then make the games a little bit easier.”
Wright’s hunger to prove himself has been evident, stating, “Being on someone’s 90-man roster is an opportunity, so just coming out here and competing every day means a lot.” With the added benefit of already knowing Harris’s scheme and technique, he’s playing faster and more confidently than ever before, and he’ll need that confidence for next season.
The Challenges That Will Come
There could be the assumption that Wright makes the 53-man roster, but the bigger question is if he snags the starting cornerback role opposite JJ. With Tyrique Stevenson, Terell Smith, and Zah Frazier all in the mix, he’ll need to make the best of his time during preseason. Regardless, when he’s on the field, he’ll be tasked with taking on an imposing role covering some of the league’s most dynamic receivers.
In just the NFC North, covering Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson or Jordan Addison, Detroit’s Amon-Ra St. Brown or Jameson Williams, or Green Bay’s Jayden Reed or Matthew Golden is no small task.
But with Wright’s unique frame, few corners can match the height and wingspan he brings to the field, and his length could disrupt timing routes and contested catches. If he’s already giving DJ Moore, Odunze, and the rest of the Bears’ wideouts fits in practice, he’s on the right path towards showing the rest of the NFL just how good he really is.
Should he continue his stellar camp performance and carry it into the preseason, Wright may not just be a depth piece; he could be a difference-maker in a division loaded with offensive firepower.
As the Bears push toward contention under a retooled coaching staff and new-look roster, Nahshon Wright’s development is one of the more underrated stories worth watching closely.