CHICAGO – 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.
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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.
Odunze played four seasons with the Huskies and was an All-American last year when he led the nation with a school-record 1,640 yards. Washington advanced to the national championship game, losing to Michigan. Odunze had 3,272 yards receiving and 24 touchdown receptions in his college career.
Bears rookies were due to report for training camp on Tuesday, with veterans arriving on Friday. The first practice is Saturday.
Chicago has just three playoff appearances since the 2006 team reached the Super Bowl, and failed to advance in the postseason twice in that span. The Bears are 10-24 in two seasons under general manager Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus. But they see themselves as a playoff contender after going from three wins in 2022 to finishing 7-10 last season.
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AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed to this report. ___
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