NEWSLETTER
The latest from NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero is QB-heavy. And if you’re a fan of the Chicago Bears, you will want the section dedicated to Caleb Williams. There is all sorts of good stuff about his play style, background, and more. But for me, one thing stood out more than anything else.
This passage from Pelissero had me doing a double-take:
Team officials have stayed in touch with Williams since via video chat sessions, just talking football. There still is a matter of agreeing to a contract, which could be more complicated than a normal slotted deal, given the uniqueness of Caleb’s draft process thus far. But sources say the quarterback’s conversations with the Bears have been very frank and positive. The Williams camp sent the message early about what it wanted — investment and infrastructure to help Caleb reach his next goal of chasing Tom Brady and winning Super Bowls — and the Bears so far have delivered.
I was not expecting the Bears to be progressive in this manner. Maybe it is because I am wired to expect the Bears to bumble around, trip over their own feet, and fumble the bag. But it doesn’t sound like that is happening right now. That’s refreshing!
Caleb Williams and the Bears are already working together
Reading the words above from Tom Pelissero took my brain immediately to a place where I was thinking about the past. Remember the drag that came when the Bears were trying to sign Roquan Smith’s rookie deal? Or the subsequent issues in contract extension talks before his trade? What the slow drip that was the contract finalization for 2022 second-round pick Jaquan Brisker? These were moments in recent Bears history that were in the back of my mind, and I was ready to revisit them in case things got weird with the team and Caleb Williams in their contract talks. However, it sounds like this isn’t going to be an issue. Whew.
The Bears are already hashing out details regarding Caleb Williams and his rookie contract, which is encouraging because the Bears aren’t playing hardball. Heck, it sure seems like the Bears are handling this as professionally as you’d expect from a billion-dollar entity. Perhaps some of that has to do with the wave of new hires in organizational and business ops that are being made with the intent to modernize things at Halas Hall.
With the NFL Draft being a must-see television event, eliminating pre-draft agreements gives some extra spice to the viewing aspect of the spectacle. But even though the NFL has changed rules to prevent pre-draft contracts, it doesn’t stop two sides from talking shop ahead of time. And in the end, I think of this as yet another perk of having the first overall pick in the upcoming draft. Seeing buzz that the Bears and Caleb Williams’ camp are getting down to business early reminds me of a simple time in the NFL. A time when teams and projected top picks would string together that first contract before even going on the clock. Hopefully, no hangups are on the horizon.
The 2024 NFL Draft is in six days, and Caleb Williams will soon be a member of the Chicago Bears. What happens after that is anyone’s guess. But this is why we’re fans, right? We’re about to go on a journey that doesn’t have a fixed outcome at the end. I’m looking forward to where it takes us.
