Caleb Williams the quarterback will become Caleb Williams the businessman soon, as the No. 1 NFL draft pick — who does not have an NFLPA-certified agent representing him — dives into the process of securing his first professional contract with the Chicago Bears.
The negotiations shouldn’t create any fear that Williams might report late to training camp in July, but questions about his contract are natural for a player going his own route with a trusted group of advisers and not with an agent who could communicate on his behalf with the team.
“I’ve been focused on these past three days of minicamp, the (organized team activities) before that and rookie camp before that,” Williams said after a three-day minicamp concluded Thursday at Halas Hall. “I haven’t been focused on (the contract). (General manager Ryan) Poles and my team have 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 into work every day to work my tail off.”
Williams is expected to be back at work on the field next week. While veterans began their summer break as minicamp wrapped up, rookies have three more days of OTAs on Monday through Wednesday in what coach Matt Eberflus described as sort of a quarterback camp.
As of Thursday morning, 17 of the league’s 32 first-round picks had signed contracts, including four of the top-10 selections. New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, chosen No. 3, is the highest-drafted player to sign. Like Williams, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (No. 2) also doesn’t have a deal.
It makes sense the sides haven’t gotten down to business yet. Because Williams hasn’t hired an agent, he has to negotiate for himself. Delaying negotiations until the end of the voluntary offseason program has allowed him to remain locked in on football and learning coordinator Shane Waldron’s offense while adjusting to the professional level.
Williams has avoided being pulled in multiple directions, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the sides launch into contract talks next week after OTAs are completed for the rookie class.
At this juncture, there’s no reason for concern that the Bears won’t sign Williams before training camp opens, which will be a week earlier than usual because the team is playing in the Hall of Fame Game against the Houston Texans on Aug. 1 in Canton, Ohio.
Rookie contracts are slotted by draft pick, and Williams’ four-year deal is expected to be worth $39,486,057 with a $25,537,132 signing bonus. The deal, which should include a club option for the fifth year in 2028, is expected have a salary-cap number of $7,179,283 for this season.
The numbers shouldn’t change, and the only thing generally up for discussion with these contracts is potentially some of the minor language.
That’s why this should be a drama-free process for Williams and the Bears. Williams representing himself is unlikely to create obstacles — something general manager Ryan Poles ran into shortly after he was hired in 2022 with linebacker Roquan Smith. Rookie contracts are simple compared with second contracts, which is what Smith was angling for at that time.
The last time the Bears had a draft pick miss significant time in training camp was in 2018, when Smith, the No. 8 selection, was the last pick from his class to sign. He didn’t sign until Aug. 13 as the sides haggled over language in the contract regarding the possible forfeiture of guaranteed money if he was ejected or suspended because of rule changes related to tackling with the helmet. At that time, Smith had an NFLPA-certified agent working on his behalf.
In 2005, Bears first-round pick Cedric Benson held out for nearly five weeks.