There was reckless speculation in the media early this offseason that top prospect Caleb Williams might decide to sit out of the 2024 NFL Draft and return to USC rather than play for the Chicago Bears. It’s possible Williams might not be on the board on April 25 but for another reason.
It’s too late for Williams to return to USC. He’s ineligible to play in the NCAA after declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft. However, he could sign with the Bears without having to wait for his name to be called on draft night.
The Chicago Bears could sign Caleb Williams before April 25
According to Mike Florio with NBC Sports, the league still permits teams who hold the No. 1 pick in the draft to sign a player before they’re on the clock at the draft. The Bears are technically “on the clock” as of this publishing:
If the Bears want Caleb Williams and if Caleb Williams wants the Bears, the two sides don’t have to wait three weeks to make it official. Per the NFL, the rule allowing the team with the first overall pick to sign its eventual selection to a contract before the draft remains on the books.
Of course, the league generally frowns upon the dissemination of advance information regarding the draft. The NFL wants maximum eyeballs on the TV coverage to find out who the pick will be. If the Bears sign Williams, there’s not even a thin shred of drama when the first pick is on the clock.
There isn’t a major incentive to rush
The Bears wouldn’t benefit too much from signing Williams before the draft other than to get their offseason negotiations with him out of the way. Williams couldn’t participate with the team until rookie OTAs.
Teams used to sign the No. 1 pick before the Collective Bargaining Agreement changed in 2011. With the new rookie wage scale, the team with the No. 1 pick can’t auction off a cheaper contract to multiple top prospects in return for being taken first.
The Bears seem to have their mind made on Williams
The Bears seem to be enamored with Williams. While it’s more likely than not they won’t break protocol and sign Williams before April 25, it’s possible they could. We all know the real draft starts with the Washington Commanders at No. 2 anyway.
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