The wait is finally over! The numbers are out as Caleb Williams signs a four-year contract with a fifth-year team option with the Chicago Bears. According to Adam Schefter, the deal is worth $39 million, including a $25.5 million signing bonus. Carrying an annual average value of $9.8 million, the No. 1 pick wasn’t too worried about the final contract formalities, and it seemed to have paid off as he officially became a part of his draft team.

The Bears reached another big decision today with their 9th overall pick, Rome Odunze’s contract. The wide receiver signed a $22.7 million fully guaranteed four-year deal with a fifth-year option, as per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The Washington product will join Williams in a promising offense for the upcoming season.

While the QB is expected to be the team’s starter next season, it’ll be interesting to see when Odunze debuts on the field. As for the 2024 season, Williams will be playing with a stellar offense around him with the likes of WR DJ Moore and TE Cole Kmet.

Caleb Williams “wasn’t handling” the formalities

It’s pretty clear that the Chicago Bears are building their roster around their No.1 pick and don’t plan to leave any stone unturned in making the rookie their franchise quarterback. Williams seems to be handling the expectations and pressure well and had an unbothered answer when he was asked about the then-impending contract situation.

“I’m not handling that,” said Williams at the Caleb Cares Hero Awards via the Chicago Tribune on Saturday. “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, contradicts the NFLPA rules, which forbid the rookies’ lawyers to negotiate terms directly with the Bears if an association-verified agent is absent. Whichever way it is, it seems to have worked out for Williams, who now has his decided multimillion-dollar deal under his belt.

Caleb Williams will step into the 2024 season, shouldering some massive responsibilities. The 22-year-old had 9,782 passing yards, 93 passing touchdowns, and 735 completions in his college career. The USC product seems to be prepared to face the challenge heads on, and if all goes well, we might see the Bears finally get an elite franchise quarterback.