Bears reportedly declined Caleb Williams’ request regarding franchise tag

Despite reports that the Chicago Bears agreed to terms with No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams on Tuesday, the 22-year-old quarterback remains unsigned as of Wednesday afternoon.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Bears and Williams had agreed to a four-year, $39M deal with $25M of guaranteed money. 

But Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio told 670 The Score on Wednesday that the deal isn’t finalized yet because the two sides are negotiating the contract's language, specifically Williams’ request for the Bears not to franchise tag him after his rookie deal — an appeal the team declined.

“My understanding is the contract isn't signed,” Florio said. “They expect it to be; they're haggling over language. And what I think they're getting into is a situation where the lawyer who's handling this isn't as versed in the nuances of the contract as an experienced and competent agent would be.

“… One thing I'm told is there was an effort made to get the Bears to agree not to use the franchise tag on Caleb Williams after he would finish the fifth year of his contract, assuming they would pick up the option. But that did not go anywhere.”