Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze finished the offseason program without signing their rookie contracts, but there’s minimal — if any — concern about that with more than a month before they report for training camp.
They are two of 12 first-round picks who have yet to sign. Quarterbacks Jayden Daniels (No. 2 pick, Commanders), Michael Penix Jr. (No. 8, Falcons) and J.J. McCarthy (No. 10, Vikings) also are in that group.
Williams was the No. 1 pick, and Odunze went ninth, and both players’ deals are mostly predetermined by the collective bargaining agreement. There’s some room to negotiate guaranteed money, the schedule for signing bonus payments and other details, but it’s extremely rare for teams and players to hit an actual impasse in contract talks.
Both players, like all first-round picks, will get four-year contracts with a fifth-year team option. Over The Cap calculated the deals, based on their draft slots, at $39.5 million over four years for Williams and $22.7 million over four years for Odunze.
Williams, who has attorneys but no agent, said last week he was focused exclusively on football and hadn’t given the contract much thought.
The Bears signed their other draft picks, all taken in the third round or later, a month ago.
Rookies are back at Halas Hall for training camp July 16 with the rest of the team reporting July 19 and the Bears holding their first practice the next day.
