Chicago Bears rookies reported to Halas Hall on Tuesday for the start of training camp, but some of them did a little more than just report. Caleb Williams, quarterback and No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, signed his rookie contract with the Bears.
The contract is supposedly worth it a fully guaranteed total of $39 million over four years and includes a $25.5 million signing bonus as well as a fifth-year team option.
According to reports, there were some talks about the franchise brand in the negotiations. ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio told 670 The Score that Williams and his staff asked the Bears to “agree not to use the franchise tag on Caleb Williams after he finishes the fifth year of his contract, assuming they would pick up the option.” But that didn’t happen. Go anywhere.”
Williams, 22, was the projected No. 1 pick in this draft, and given the Bears’ recent quarterback woes (Mitch Trubisky, Andy Dalton, Justin Fields), they were expected to draft him. The Bears did not disappoint (a rare feeling for their fans), taking Williams first overall after a great season at USC.
The start of training camp (in this case, July 16) is not particularly late for the Bears to still sign their draftees, even a highly drafted quarterback like Williams. Baker Mayfield signed his rookie contract with the Cleveland Browns on July 24, 2018. Joe Burrow signed his rookie contract with the Cincinnati Bengals on July 28, 2020. And Cam Newton, in 2011, signed his rookie contract with the Carolina Panthers in July. 29.
But rookie report day is a great time to make deals, with all the new players arriving to get their first taste of NFL life. On Tuesday morning, the Bears also secured their ninth pick, wide receiver Rome Odunze. He agreed to a four-year contract worth $227 million which left Williams as the Bears’ final draft pick as he did not yet have a rookie contract.
Just a few hours later, before tongues could start wagging also much, the Bears and Williams finally agreed to terms. Now the entire rookie class is under contract and the Bears can get to work: real football.
