Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles said earlier this week that rookie first-round pick Darnell Wright dominated his conditioning test, improved his body composition, and lost weight in preparation for his first NFL training camp. It's a fantastic start to Wright's career, one that the Bears hope will span several years as a foundational starter.
"He absolutely crushed the conditioning test," Poles said. "Like didn't break a sweat."
Here's the only problem: Wright wasn't training for the offensive linemen's conditioning test. He inadvertently targeted the required test numbers for wide receivers, which makes his summer conditioning program even more impressive.
Ryan Poles said that Darnell Wright "crushed" his conditioning test. Wright said it's because he was doing the workout plan for Bears wide receivers this offseason while training - by accident - which contained more distance runs/cardio.
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) July 28, 2023
Darnell Wright already proving to be a freak
Wright measured in at 6-foot-5 and 333 pounds at the NFL Combine. Let that sink in for a minute. A dude his size was training like a wide receiver this summer, and while we don't know if he would've passed that conditioning test, at the very least, he was ready.
It hasn't been all rainbows and butterflies for Wright on the field through the first three days, as eyes on the ground at practice have cited more than one occasion in which a pass rusher would've beaten him.
But Darnell Wright's game is predicated on power and violence, neither of which can be showcased until the pads go on next week.