Chicago Bears sign first overall pick and starting QB Caleb Williams to his rookie deal | Report
CHICAGO - It's done.
The Chicago Bears have signed first overall pick Caleb Williams to his rookie contract, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Tuesday.
This comes just hours after the Bears signed No. 9 overall pick Rome Odunze to a four-year deal and on the same day the Bears rookie class reported for training camp.
According to ESPN, Williams is signing a four-year, fully-guaranteed contract worth $39 million. The deal includes a $25.5 million signing bonus and a fifth-year team option, Schefter said.
Williams was named the Bears' starting quarterback for the 2024 season on the first day of rookie camp.
There was some concern outside of Halas Hall for Williams' contract, which remained one of the last contracts to be signed among the 2024 rookie class.
This concern was heightened considering the USC product and 2022 Heisman Trophy winner does not have an NFLPA-certified agent.
However, the Bears were never concerned. Williams wasn't concerned, either. He had certain people working on that.
"I've been focused on these past three days of mini camp, the OTAs before that and rookie camp before that," Williams said on June 12. "I haven't been focused on that. My team has been focused on that. I have lawyers and attorneys to handle things like that so that I can be free-minded on the field, enjoying coming in to work every day and work my tail off"
Now, his first practice of training camp awaits on Saturday.
Before training camp, Williams took to rookie camp, voluntary workout and mandatory minicamp. Williams had some struggles, especially in his first mandatory minicamp practice, but he improved vastly. The moment was never too big for him as he wowed the media and other crowds with touchdown passes to DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Odunze,
"He’s done really well," Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said on June 7. "He's progressed all the way across and hit guys. He's progressed to open spaces in his first two progressions and has dotted guys, so I think it's been really good."
As Williams improved, the Bears offense improved with him.
"We saw Caleb improve," Eberflus said at the close of mandatory minicamp. "We saw the offense get better and better."
For Williams, that all a part of the process he expected to take part in.
Not only has he taken part in the process, but he's helped lead it. Having his contract signed and sealed means he can focus on that improvements he wants to see in training camp.
"I feel that there's a light at the end of that tunnel," Williams said during mincamp. "Right now, we're working with our head down and we're building, so just having that moment with myself. I do it every day, I sit there and say, ‘We're going to be pretty good.’ Just have to keep working, keep going."
Bears ink rookie receiver Rome Odunze to fully guaranteed deal | Reports
The Chicago Bears have reportedly signed the No. 9 overall pick to a fully guaranteed deal, according to reports.