It appears someone isn’t being honest about Caleb WIlliams’ contract negotiations with the Chicago Bears front office. The league reportedly provided an update on what they’re hearing about talks, and it contradicts the story Williams told this weekend.
Bears rookies are set to report to Halas on Tuesday. The front office has run out of time to strike a deal with Rome Odunze and Williams before the two top-ten picks start training camp.
Caleb Williams said he’s not wheeling and dealing
As previously discussed on CCS, Williams said he isn’t handling contract negotiations with the Bears:
“I’m not handling that,” Williams said, per Colleen Kane with the Chicago Tribune. “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.”
Williams reportedly doesn’t have an NFLPA agent representing him. Because he chose not to have an NFLPA agent represent him, Williams is supposed to be handling his own negotiations with the Bears. His attorneys are not supposed to do the bargaining for Williams, as it undermines the player’s union.
The Chicago Bears said they’re only dealing with Williams
According to Mike Florio with NBC Sports, the Bears told the league that their front office is only speaking to Williams:
“Your read on Article 48 [of the Collective Bargaining Agreement] is correct,” the league told PFT via email. “The team, however, confirmed to the league that it is only speaking to the player.”
Florio suggests Williams could be having his representation skirt the rules by using electronic communications to negotiate with the front office:
So either someone is telling an inaccurate story, or the Bears think they’re negotiating with Williams when they aren’t. The most common workaround for self-represented players who really aren’t representing themselves is to create an email address that is ostensibly the player but is actually someone else. (In at least one situation, the cover was blown when the player responded to an email from the team — while the player was on the practice field.)
The deal should have been made weeks (if not months) ago
Either way, Williams’ contract should have been signed by now. The Bears should have met with Williams face-to-face to finalize the deal.
Frankly, it’s hard to blame Williams for his deal’s tardiness. Odunze has NFLPA representation with Collin Roberts and Ryan Tollner with Excell Sports Management, and they couldn’t lock up a deal by the start of training camp. And there isn’t much for the Bears to negotiate about.
For a team that wants things to change at the quarterback position and on offense as a whole, this reeks of the same old Bears.
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