Chicago Bears breakout cornerback Nahshon Wright just got another feather for his cap ahead of a critical free-agency period during the 2026 NFL offseason.
The NFC officially announced on Monday, January 26, that Wright — who tied for second in the league with five interceptions in 2025 — will replace Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell on the NFC’s roster for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games.
Wright is the fourth Pro Bowl selection for the Bears’ 2025 roster after left guard Joe Thuney, center Drew Dalman and free safety Kevin Byard III were all named starters for the NFC’s roster in late December when the league revealed the initial selections. It is also the first Pro Bowl honor for Wright — a 2021 third-round pick — in his career.
“I’ve been excited all day,” Wright told ChicagoBears.com’s Larry Mayer after news of his selection broke. “My fiancée and I were getting ready to go eat with my kids. When we got to the restaurant, I couldn’t even eat. I’m super excited.”
Wright’s newfound Pro Bowler status should further boost his prestige as he seeks out his next NFL contract in unrestricted free agency in March. He had already projected as one of the top available cornerbacks after making 16 starts for the Bears in 2025.
Unless Wright signs a new contract with the Bears beforehand, he will become a free agent when the 2026 league year officially begins at 4 p.m. ET on March 11.
Bears Unlikely to Sign Nahshon Wright to Extension
While Wright should benefit from his Pro Bowl selection, it also likely makes it more impractical for the Bears to re-sign him and keep him in Chicago for the 2026 season.
Wright led the NFL with eight takeaways (five interceptions, three fumble recoveries) in 2025 and added 80 total tackles, three tackles for loss and two forced fumbles over his 17 appearances. He also recorded a 74-yard pick-six, the first of his four-season career.
Wright’s coverage skills on the perimeter left something to be desired, though. Per Pro Football Focus, he allowed 53 receptions for 725 yards and seven touchdowns on 83 targets in coverage in the regular season, making him a high-risk/high-reward talent.
The estimated price of Wright’s next NFL contract also likely makes extension talks with the Bears a non-starter. Spotrac projects that he will fetch about $16.7 million annually on the open market in free agency. Even if he ends up closer to about $10 million per season, that is far too rich for a cap-strapped Bears team with multiple highly-paid cornerbacks (Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon) signed for 2026.
Maybe the Bears are willing to pay more than anticipated to retain Wright, but it seems more likely that he will find a new team willing to compensate him generously in 2026.
Future of Bears’ CB Room Without Nahshon Wright?
Wright played an important role in the Bears’ success during the 2025 season, but the future is not exactly bleak for them at the position if he departs in 2026 free agency.
Part of the reason why Wright played so much for the Bears in 2025 is that Johnson and Gordon each missed large portions of the season due to injuries. Even once they returned late in the season, the Bears held them to snap counts that kept Wright on the field for regular snaps. In 2026, though, those injuries should be fully behind them.
The Bears will also return two younger cornerbacks — Terell Smith and 2025 rookie draft pick Zah Frazier — to the mix after each missed the season for different reasons. Both figured to compete for rotational snaps before the Bears shut them down before the start of the regular season, and they should get opportunities once again in 2026.
Additionally, Tyrique Stevenson will be entering the final season of his rookie contract in 2026 with something to prove after playing a career-low 588 snaps in his third year. His contract situation could prompt the Bears to invest in another cornerback in the 2026 NFL draft, but Stevenson still has runway to make it work long term in Chicago.
Bears CB Nahshon Wright Gets Good News Ahead of Free Agency