The Chicago Bears have finally settled the rookie contract for No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick Caleb Williams, following lengthy negotiations that extended into the first day of their training camp this week.
ProFootballTalk reports that multiple sources revealed the final hurdle before Wednesday’s official contract announcement was Williams’ unprecedented request for Chicago to waive its right to a franchise tag. This is something no NFL rookie has ever achieved and the Bears ultimately rejected Williams’ request, signing him to a four-year rookie deal that allowed him to start training camp.
After acquiring the 2024 No. 1 pick from the Carolina Panthers in a major trade last offseason, Chicago celebrated as Carolina stumbled to a dismal 1-12 start, securing the worst record in the NFL by December 31 and bringing the No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick to the Windy City. The Bears were clearly in need of a franchise quarterback and Williams emerged as the consensus top quarterback in his class, giving him the leverage to make several unconventional contract requests.
During his final season at USC, where he racked up 3,633 passing yards and 33 touchdowns but fell short of his impressive Heisman-winning performance the previous year, Williams reportedly sought a minority ownership stake from his future NFL Draft destination. The ex-five-star star prospect dodged the medical exams at the NFL Combine, choosing to do them during individual team visits, and even paused his NFL Draft preparations for a trip to Tokyo just seven days before the event.
Maintaining open lines of communication, Williams and the Bears agreed on a substantial four-year, $39.49million contract that included a $25.5million signing bonus. Despite not having an agent, the quarterback decided against the typical franchise tag, which allows teams to prolong a player’s contract entering free agency by one year at a set price.
More seasoned quarterbacks, notably Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys, have managed to negotiate “no-tag” clauses, permitting free agents to explore the market without restrictions. While this early glance towards free agency may unsettle some Bears supporters, Williams has expressed his ambition to follow in Tom Brady’s footsteps and stay loyal to a singular team throughout a significant part of his career.
In April, on the Pivot Podcast, Williams shared: “I want to play at one place for 20 years, and chase one guy, No. 12,” referring to Brady’s famous jersey number. He further mentioned, “I want a place that loves ball. That’s all I’ve heard about Chicago so far.”
The July 16 deadline for rookies to report for training camp also saw fellow rookie Rome Odunze ink his rookie contract. Veterans will report to Halas Hall on Friday, the early start date caused by the Bears’ role in the Hall of Fame game on August 1.
