The Chicago Bears rookie class is scheduled to report for training camp today on July 16th. There was only one problem. Both of their 1st round picks, quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze hadn’t signed their rookie deals. Neither would be allowed to participate in practices until that changes. This made fans nervous, wondering if both players were tilting towards holdouts. Thankfully, GM Ryan Poles cleared the first hurdle to correct the issue. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported that Odunze had agreed to his contract, which will be fully guaranteed.
This isn’t a big surprise. Odunze didn’t have much wiggle room for negotiations as the 9th overall pick since almost every other player in the top 10 had already signed their deals. The bigger issue is Williams. He doesn’t have an agent handling this matter. It is supposedly a team of lawyers and business experts serving as a sort of board of directors. This unusual method, along with the quarterback’s supposed desire to find loopholes in the CBA, has led to the deal taking longer than normal.
Dan Graziano stated on ESPN that the team isn’t worried about Williams’ situation. They understand it’s a process. Both sides have made progress working towards an agreement. There is no reason to panic yet. While rookies report today, the entire team doesn’t come together for full practices until the 19th. That gives the Bears an additional three days to reach the finish line if necessary. However, rumors surfaced 24 hours ago that Williams had already agreed to a deal. It was just a matter of coming in to sign it.
If so, the news will likely break before the end of the day. Otherwise, the good news is that the Chicago Bears can now focus 100% on hammering things out with their young quarterback. Neither side has seemed frustrated by the situation. It has remained professional. That should offer reassurance that this will get done shortly. Fans should relax and start thinking about their plans for training camp.
