JULY 17, 2:45pm: Once again, we have a report Williams has agreed to terms with the Bears. This latest offering, from NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, comes after a report the highly touted passer attempted to become the first rookie to receive a no-tag clause in his first NFL deal. The Bears balked, potentially putting this issue to bed for other No. 1 picks for a while, and have their new starter under contract. The team have since announced the signing.
11:58am: While Williams’ deal is expected to be completed soon, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes some minor issues remain unresolved. The lawyer representing Williams is not especially experienced with NFL contracts, per Florio, complicating this process to a degree. Though, the No. 1 pick is on track to collect his full signing bonus not long after the deal is finalized. It does not appear like that has happened just yet.
JULY 16: Hours after Rome Odunze‘s signature on his rookie contract, Caleb Williams is putting pen to paper as well. The Bears are also signing their No. 1 overall pick to his rookie deal Tuesday, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets.
This will be a fully guaranteed four-year deal worth $39.49MM. While this is a fraction of what No. 1 picks commanded before the 2011 CBA reshaped rookie pacts, Williams’ slot price sits higher than anyone drafted since. The Bears, who traded Justin Fields to make room for the 2022 Heisman winner, now have this year’s top draftee signed through 2027.
[RELATED: Five 2024 Draft Choices Remain Unsigned]
Williams marks the latest QB swing from a Bears team that has been unable to find a true franchise-level option. Fields showed some improvement last season, but Williams’ ceiling is viewed as considerably higher. Chicago’s whiff on Mitch Trubisky remains one of the modern draft era’s most infamous transactions, seeing as Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson were drafted soon after. The team’s Jay Cutler trade, which cost two first-round picks and change, produced one playoff berth in eight seasons. A 2023 Panthers trade, however, changed Chicago’s fortunes and led to a rare opportunity.
The Bears did pass on C.J. Stroud by sending the Panthers the 2023 top pick, leading to Carolina choosing Bryce Young. Although GM Ryan Poles attempted to give Fields a shot at making a case to be the team’s long-term option, the Panthers finishing 2-15 changed the Bears’ plans. Few expected Chicago to seriously entertain trading out of No. 1 for a second straight year, and the team did not. The Bears instead unloaded Fields — for a price (a conditional sixth-round pick) much lower than most anticipated — to clear the decks for Williams. With no notable backup in place, the former Lincoln Riley pupil will move into Chicago’s starting lineup soon.
The Bears already named Williams their starter, though that status was never in doubt. The former Oklahoma recruit-turned-USC superstar had established himself as the clear-cut top option in this year’s class during his 2022 Heisman-winning season. Williams did not fare as well as a junior, but he did not do enough to fall in the draft. This year’s spree of draft rumors centered around five quarterbacks, not six, as Williams-to-Chicago was an open secret for weeks.
Although some evaluators referred to Williams’ Combine interviews as “not great,” the dynamic talent was never closely connected to any team but the Bears. That set him apart from Young last year, as the Panthers were also tied to Stroud and Anthony Richardson, and placed Williams closer to the Trevor Lawrence and Joe Burrow levels. Williams’ supporting cast looks better than both those talents coming in.
Williams totaled 4,537 passing yards, with a 42-5 TD-INT ratio, during his Heisman season. Although the Trojans took a step back in 2023 by losing five of their final six regular-season games, Williams still closed with a 30-5 TD-INT ratio and improved his completion percentage from 66.6% to 68.6%. Williams’ yards per attempt number (9.4) also bettered his Heisman average (9.1). Williams averaged at least nine yards per pass in each of his three college seasons.
The 6-foot-1, 214-pound passer will now team with one of the top receiver groups in Bears history, with Chicago adding Keenan Allen and Odunze to a group fronted by D.J. Moore. The Bears also have Cole Kmet and ex-Shane Waldron charge Gerald Everett rostered at tight end. After Trubisky and Fields struggled with limited pass-catching help, Williams will begin an attempt to reverse this franchise’s miserable modern QB history with a deep array of weaponry.
Going into training camp, here is how the Bears’ 2024 draft class looks:
- Round 1: No. 1 (from Panthers): Caleb Williams (QB, USC) (signed)
- Round 1, No. 9: Rome Odunze (WR, Washington) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 75: Kiran Amegadjie (T, Yale) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 122 (from Eagles): Tory Taylor (P, Iowa) (signed)
- Round 5: No. 144 (reacquired from Bills): Austin Booker (EDGE, Kansas) (signed)
After some people insisted on treating this like a real problem or a real story, he’s not even the last quarterback from the draft to sign.
And that means what? Oh right. Nothing. It really does not matter who is first and who is last to sign . All that matters is what is done in the field.
OK? I’m saying this was a non-story. I don’t know what you’re arguing with.
Hey Slappy D D, any relations to that Slap Nuts poster over there at MLBTR?
That’s a great chunk of coin plus the NIL money and deals he walked away from usc with. Dude is a top tier millionaire and he’s super young
Bears said they were dealing w/Williams alone on his contract negotiations. Caleb said “he wasn’t” n that “his ppl” were talking contract #s for em. It all got worked out sans agent.
When there’s a strict limit to how much a guy can actually get paid, he can save himself some commission money by having lawyers work out the details. Laremy Tunsil has saved himself a fortune by not using an agent. Things like endorsements would be handled by a separate agent anyway.
Tunsil needed to make up for the money he lost on draft day. Wonder if he’s using a nicer gas mask and bong now that he can afford it?
The update does offer clarity though. He wanted a “no tag” clause. The Bears said no way. Nobody wants to be the team that breaks that precedent.
He’s so good they signed him twice.
Signed it Infront of the hard knocks cameras
This guy will be a bust. How do I know that? He’s a Bears QB.
Bro you must really love Caleb cuz you STAY commenting on his posts. Just yeterday you were clowning him for not signing and now you’re just baselessly calling him a bust. Get a life
Living in my parents basement IS a life. So take that!
Even if you’re joking that’s seriously the lamest and weakest response I’ve ever read ☠️☠️
Haters gotta hate.
Packers fan gonna hate. Farve-Rodgers-Love.
Meanwhile, the Bears still suck.
A criminal, A weirdo and a yet to be determined. Love your role models. Pun intended.
Two legendary players and one yet to be determined on the field who is not exactly a role model off it.
And that confirms it. You’re scared he will work out.
Yes, that’s it. Just as I was worried Steve Walsh, Erik Kramer, Rick Mirer, Cade McNown, Jim Miller, Rex Grossman, Kyle Orton, Smokin’ Jay Cutler, Mike Glennon, Mitchell Trubisky, and Justin Fields would work out.
Believe Kramer still holds Bears record for passing TDs in season. Was cpl yrs ahead of me @same HS. HC was so bad as talent evaluator he had future nfl starting QB on team but didn’t let em QB n had em@ safety. Had to go juco route to get playing time as QB. Forgetting its been loooong time, Bob Avellini, Vince Evans, Steve Fuller, Jim Harbaugh, Mike Tomczak, Doug Flutie, etc, since Chi has had elite QB. McMahon got the good done but it wasn’t always pretty.
Every Bears QB (like many QBs) has had different HCs, OCs.and GMs. So to somehow blame the organization doesn’t make sense. Ownership doesnt draft or coach the players.
Look around league, it’s hard finding n developing elite nfl QBs. Every team has rough patches n run of bad luck. Odds are Bears are due for stud QB, n Williams has the pedigree to make it happen.
Sam! Sam! Sam! How can you recount the Bears ignominious QB history and overlook the stellar achievements of Mike Glennon? 🙂
We’re all trying anyway.
Didn’t they have their guy last year? I wish this dude luck but odds are and statistically proven he too will not fill the expectations.
Well, 40 million dollars for another “MVP, Super Bowl Champion” QB isn’t too bad.
Their last one from only four years ago proves it isn’t that hard.
All I can say is this dude will have every opportunity to showcase his skills with the WR room he’s got! Let’s hope he’s just a fraction better than most #1 draft QBs
Wish him well. Like all rookie QBs, won’t really know how good he is until we see how he handles the speed of NFL level defense; in particular when feeling/sensing pocket pressure.
He’ll be the 22nd highest paid QB in 2024 and I’ll bet that he at least is in the top 15 at year end for stats.
Ryan Leaf 2.0
I get that people who say crap like this are just rooting for the kid to fail, but even Zach Wilson and Bryce Young have been notably better than Leaf was.
I would argue that Zach Wilson and Bryce Young haven’t been better than dryer lint yet.
I gotta give him credit for trying to have his cake and eat it all before he takes one snap…wanted a clause in his contract that said the Bears could not franchise tag him at the end of his contract…Bears said no
He wanted his money to be put into a LLC for tax exempt status of some sort…Bears and NFL said no …then he wanted his money as a forgivable loan that was tax free for up to 10 years before it was forgiven…Bears and NFL said no so he signed his contract…39 million of which 25 million is a signing bonus
I still think he will be a bust but he gets his 25 million up front so he really doesn’t have any incentive to be a great player making 3.5 million dollars a year until he gets to his 5th year option
The Bears will be drafting another QB in a few years
The Bears made substantial upgrades to their offense this offseason across the board…if you choose to completely ignore the O-line like the front office did. I think they will be better this year but they need to invest in some big guys next offseason to really make this a dangerous offense and compete for the division title.
They signed 2 FA Cs, and drafted an OL. The OL wasn’t “completely ignored”