Bear Digest

Report Says Caleb Williams Wanted No-Tag Clause with Contract

Caleb Williamssought something never given players as he tried to continue to fit the maverick image, according to Pro Football Talk's report.

Gene Chamberlain

Caleb Williams steps and fires during passing drills at Bears offseason work.
Caleb Williams steps and fires during passing drills at Bears offseason work. / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
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Caleb Williams reportedly sought something never given players as he tried to continue to fit the maverick mold.

Williams, who had bucked the trend by not getting a physical at the combine, wanted to have a clause put in his rookie contract saying he couldn't be given the franchise or transition tag, according to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio.

Veteran players have negotiated such clauses, but not rookies. The Bears never did it. No rookie player has ever had this. So Williams got his money but no clause when he officially signed his contract on Wednesday.

It had seemed there was some type of unusual holdup in this case because Williams didn't agree to terms until reporting day for rookies. Then, he simply took his guaranteed $39 million deal and moved ahead to the start of practices.

Florio points out how Williams and all rookies are limited in the kinds of demands they can make because of the collective bargaining agreement with slotted spots for rookies.

Williams did have some leverage other players haven't had as he tried to pursue this. Having $10 million in sponsorship money from his college days made it possible he could have told the Bears he'd wait again for next year's draft if they didn't give him what he wanted. Then again, a player doing that runs the risk of not being drafted as high the next year.

It will be up to some other quarterback or player at another position in future years to try this maneuver, and at that point they might have even more sponsorship money behind them to make it possible to pull off.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.