CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bears locked in their top two rookies on Tuesday, agreeing to four-year contracts with No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams and No. 9 selection Rome Odunze and avoiding any training camp drama with their prized quarterback and receiver.
A person familiar with the deal confirmed the agreement with Williams to The Associated Press. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the contract. Williams gets a slotted $39.49 million fully guaranteed deal, with a $25.5-million signing bonus.
The Bears announced Odunze signed. The club has options for 2028 on both players.
Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner, is widely viewed as a generational talent. The Bears are banking on him to become the sort of franchise quarterback Chicago has craved for decades.
Williams put up huge numbers in college, with 93 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions during three seasons at Oklahoma and Southern California. He followed coach Lincoln Riley from Norman to Los Angeles and threw for 72 TDs and just 10 interceptions in two years with the Trojans.
In Chicago, he has two veteran playmaking receivers in DJ Moore and six-time Pro Bowler Keenan Allen, in addition to Odunze, who starred at Washington.
