Rookie No. 1 pick Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears are set to report for training camp on Tuesday. Optimism is incredibly high for the previously downtrodden organization after a solid offseason from general manager Ryan Poles and Co.
But could their be a hiccup as Bears players head for camp in Lake Forest? It’s more than possible.
The former USC Trojans star and Heisman winner has yet to sign his rookie contract with the Bears. It’s surprising with the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement including a rookie wage scale.
Apparently, the hold up is off-set language and bonus structure.
“With the NFL’s slotted rookie contracts, there are few negotiating points, the most prominent being signing bonus payment schedules and potential offsets,” Kevin Patra from NFL Media reports.
Williams is pretty much locked into signing a four-year deal worth $39.5 million. As noted above, that’s not the hold up.
Related: Caleb Williams off to rough start in Chicago Bears practice
Caleb Williams talks contract as Chicago Bears report for training camp
Williams is in a unique situation in that he is not represented by a NFLPA certified agent. Rather, he’s using lawyers and others to handle the negotiations with Chicago’s brass.
“I’m not handling that,” Williams said, via the Chicago Tribune. “My lawyers and attorney and everybody, the head of the Bears, everybody up there up top is handling that. That’s not my position that I’m handling.”
Will this potentially lead to a holdout? It seems highly unlikely. But don’t expect to see Williams on the practice field under he signs the deal.
This comes after an offseason in which Chicago added Pro Bowl running back D’Andre Swift and star wide receiver Keenan Allen to help Williams out. It also selected stud rookie receiver Rome Odunze and has holdover Pro Bowl pass-catcher D.J. Moore.