As in…today!
And even though the Bears have unsigned first-round picks Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze as of this morning, there isn’t much concern about either rookie’s deal being completed any time soon.
NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Dan Graziano have updates on the contract statuses of Williams and Odunze on Monday evening. We’ll start with Rap Sheet’s appearance on NFL Network (with a transcription below).
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport No Expect Caleb Williams to be a holdout
ahead of insiders @NFLNetwork, #Bear QB Caleb Williams is among those who have not yet signed his rookie contract. pic.twitter.com/ILNawbuq1Q– Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) 15 July 2024
“What I don’t understand is that this is one of those situations where you might be the newbie holdout or panic. And I know it was Roquan in Chicago years ago. Different regime, different cap, different whole situation. There is no panic here. Historically, typically, these happen just before deals happen. So, in the Rome Odunze deal I would be surprised if there is an issue there…”
very nice. Cold. amazing. New regime, new cap, old problems of the past are not a thing of the present. Wow, This is a lesson we should keep in mind well beyond the conclusion of these contractual situations.
For what it’s worth, I wasn’t worrying too much about Rome. Even though I was, Odunze is clearly a fast learner (which keeps my anxiety level down a notch). Ultimately, this seems like one of those situations where a deal isn’t happening until it’s completely done. Deadlines will do that to people.
As far as Caleb Williams is concerned, Rapoport says it’s a slightly different story:
“Now, ultimately he’s going to get a four-year, $39.5 or so million dollars, a fully guaranteed deal, which will include most or all of his signing bonus up front. Their situation is a little different because they have more of a board of directors rather than an agent. He does not have an official NFL agent. He has an agent who helps him, and then he also has lawyers working for him. And sometimes, because of the way it’s structured, it can take a little longer. …but still, I’d be surprised if there was an issue here. And even if there is an issue, things don’t really get real until the giants arrive. So this is going to happen at the appropriate time.
The big thing in all of this is that Ian Rapoport doesn’t expect Caleb Williams to get himself into a hold. Thanks to the manufacturer! The last thing I was waiting for was to follow up a holdout for the player you’ve had lined up as your QB1 since March. However, the Raps have indicated that Williams likely will not sign his rookie deal until the Giants report on Friday. I guess that makes sense. Unless Caleb misses significant practice time, the lack of contract storyline will be remembered as a big nothingburger (if at all).
You may wonder why it is so important to get these deals signed. After all, these guys were fully active during OTAs and minicamp without signed contracts. An explanation via Dan Graziano is below:
Caleb Williams has not signed his 4-year rookie contract yet @DanGrazianoESPN With latest updates ✍️ pic.twitter.com/cZtsIa56SV– NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) 15 July 2024
Kevin Negandhi: Can Caleb Williams become a full partner if he doesn’t have a contract?
Dan Graziano: No, Kevin. In fact, if he doesn’t have a contract by the time training camp starts he may not even be in the building. He has to sign his contract to report. We see these guys, as you mentioned, rookies attend minicamp and OTAs before they sign their contracts because they can sign waivers at that time. But there is no such relaxation for training camp. Therefore they will have to get this done.
I had earlier checked with a source about this, from where I was told there is no concern, no drama, progress is being made. He doesn’t have any agent. I think maybe that will slow things down a bit. But the Bears believe they will get it done and there will be no disruptions.
Ok, so it’s settled. You cannot enter the field without a contract. Seems quite sensible. But even more important is Graziano’s point that the Bears are making progress on a contract for Caleb Williams. Graziano also tells us how the lack of certified agents has slowed down the process. And that “no worries, no drama” line will do wonders to put us at ease.
Bears reportedly making progress on Caleb Williams’ rookie deal
Save the time Rome Odunje missed with a hamstring problem And Caleb Williams was a full participant throughout minicamp and OTAs. So, I’m not worried about any players signing their rookie deals. Furthermore, recent history has shown us that many of these deals are completed when deadlines push them to the point where the rubber has to meet the road. The Bears rookies are getting set to report to camp today, the first of two notable deadlines this week.
At this point, I fully expect both Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze to sign deals by Friday pending reports from the vets. But if they’re still unsigned when I wake up Saturday morning, that’s when the worry for me will officially begin.
