It's only a matter of time before the Chicago Bears come to terms with their first-overall pick. However, there are conflicting reports on the Caleb Williams contract saga.
Williams claims that he is not involved in the negotiations, via NBC Sports' Mike Florio.
“Over the weekend, Williams said regarding his rookie deal, ‘I’m not handling that. 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.'”
This, however, doesn't add up according to the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
“Since Williams isn’t represented by an NFLPA-certified agent, the Bears aren’t permitted to negotiate with anyone but Williams,” Florio continued. “According to an NFL spokesperson, the Bears have told the league that they’re not talking to any third parties.”
Chicago then confirmed that the club was following the rules.
“‘Your read on Article 48 [of the Collective Bargaining Agreement] is correct,' the league told PFT [Pro Football Talk] via email. “The team, however, confirmed to the league that it is only speaking to the player.'”
Either way, Williams representing himself should not affect the discussions too much, as dollar amounts for rookies are pre-determined by draft slot. However, other details such as when he receives his signing bonus, establishing activities that would void guaranteed money, and if the team could get cap relief if and when he leaves are all in play.
What could be the cause behind this confusing mix-up?
Either Caleb Williams or the Bears may have been caught in a lie
Despite the fishiness, Chicago is not worried about Williams holding out, via ESPN's Dan Graziano.
“No concern, no drama, making progress,” Graziano said. “He doesn’t have an agent, I think that probably slows things down a little bit. But the Bears believe that they’ll get this done, and there won’t be any disruption.”
Time is now of the essence, as Bears rookies report to training camp on Tuesday. Both Williams and ninth-overall pick Rome Odunze remain unsigned, and they can't attend camp until they finalize their deals.
While Chicago fans don't need to panic just yet, preseason reps are essential for younger players. If contract talks continue to stall, the offense could look out of sorts come September.
The Bears have one of the most stacked offenses on paper they've had in years. Williams and Odunze join a unit featuring Keenan Allen, D.J. Moore, D'Andre Swift, and Cole Kmet. Chicago's rookies are learning the hard way, though, that contract negotiations can get in the way of their on-field pursuits at the next level.
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