The New York Jets have been hard at work this offseason, and they turned some heads on Monday when they decided to trade quarterback Justin Fields to the Kansas City Chiefs. Prior to that, though, the front office has largely focused on shoring up the defensive side of the ball, with one of their biggest signings seeing them bring former Chicago Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright to town.
In 2025, Wright enjoyed a breakout campaign with the Bears, and he parlayed that into a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Jets. However, that doesn’t appear to be the only good news Wright has gotten over the past week, as it looks like he will be earning some additional money from the NFL as a result of his play from last season.
Nahshon Wright Earns $1.44 Million in Performance-Based Payouts
Wright was initially selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, but he never managed to find his way with them. After three seasons, Wright was traded to the Minnesota Vikings, but he played in just one game for them in 2024 before he was released over the offseason.
In 2025, Wright found his way to the Bears, and he ended up turning in easily the best season of his career. Not only did he start 16 of the 17 games he played in, but Wright’s numbers were so good (80 tackles, five interceptions, 11 pass breakups) that he ended up earning a Pro Bowl selection. Wright also forced a pair of fumbles and returned one of his aforementioned interceptions to the house for a touchdown.
That earned Wright a nice new contract from the Jets, although in a sense, he is still playing on a prove-it deal of sorts. Wright can earn up to $5.5 million on his new deal with New York, but that’s not accounting for the nice $1.44 million bonus he got from the NFL on Monday afternoon as part of the league’s performance-based payout program.
“Newly signed Jets CB Nahshon Wright led all NFL players in performance-based pay for this past season. Wright, who had five INTs, three fumbles forced and two recovered, earned an extra $1.44 million,” Mike Garafolo of NFL Network shared in a post on X.
Nahshon Wright Looking to Star for Jets in 2026
GettyCHICAGO, ILLINOIS – DECEMBER 14: Nahshon Wright #26 of the Chicago Bears in action against the Cleveland Browns at Soldier Field on December 14, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
In 2025, the Jets went the entire year without recording a single interception. With Wright in town, New York is hoping to change that in 2026. Wright recorded five picks on his own last season, and while interceptions can be a bit of a fickle statistic, he proved he has a nose for the football, which is always a good trait to have as a cornerback.
Having only one season of success as his track record is a bit worrying, though, which is likely why Wright didn’t earn a bigger contract in free agency. Still, if he can put together another big year for the Jets, he could be set to truly cash in next offseason. And if that happens, this $1.44 million could look minuscule to what Wright would be earning on his next deal.
Nahshon Wright Earns Extra $1.44 Million After Signing with Jets