The Chicago Bears opened the week with their top two draft picks still unsigned. That is no longer the case as quarterback Caleb Williams and wideout Rome Odunze reached deals on the day the Bears rookies arrived for the start of training camp on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Williams signed the dotted line, two days before training gets underway on Friday.
Williams is signing a four-year, fully guaranteed contract worth $39 million, according to CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones. It includes a $25.5 million signing bonus, per ESPN.
Williams asked the team not to use the franchise tag following the end of his rookie contract, but the Bears declined, according to NBC Sports. No rookie has yet to secure such a clause in their rookie deal, but Williams nonetheless tried.
Williams and Odunze had represented half of the remaining first-round picks who had yet to sign. Now, the only two first-round picks still unsigned are Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy and Minnesota pass rusher Dallas Turner.
There were rumblings suggesting that McCarthy was waiting for Williams to sign before he signed his rookie contract. Now that Williams has indeed done so, it’ll be interesting to see how long it takes before McCarthy comes to terms with the Vikings. At this point, the Vikings reportedly haven’t been proactive as far as trying to get something done with McCarthy.
While the Vikings are still in limbo with their first-round picks, the Bears and their young QB/WR combo are moving forward in preparation for the 2024 season. Expectations are high for the Bears and Williams, who will have a formidable supporting cast that includes Odunze, veteran wideouts Keenan Allen and DJ Moore and running back D’Andre Swift.
