Only five first-round picks have not signed their rookie contracts, and quarterback Caleb Williams is one of them. The No. 1 overall pick, however, created some confusion over who is actually handling his contract negotiations.
At a charity event Saturday for his Caleb Cares Foundation, Williams brushed aside questions about his unsigned contract. Though Williams is officially representing himself, h suggested that lawyers and attorneys were the ones tasked with sorting out his contract with the Bears.
“I’m not handling that,” Williams said, via Colleen Kane of 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.”
As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk points out, Williams does not have any NFLPA-certified agents listed as representing him. That means that he is, by rule, the only one who is supposed to be able to speak with the Bears about his contract situation. The NFL confirmed to Florio that the Bears have said they are speaking only to Williams in negotiations.
The NFL is very strict about who can represent players in contract talks. The Bears had a rather odd brush with this issue two years ago, so they are well aware of the regulations. Williams’ version of events and the Bears’ assurances are not lining up here.
Bears rookies are due to report to camp on Tuesday. It is unclear if Williams will even be able to participate at this rate.
