Bear Digest

Unsigned Bears First-Rounders Still Part of League Majority

There are 20 first-round picks still unsigned as of Memorial Day per Spotrac.com, including Bears QB Caleb Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze are still among the

Gene Chamberlain

Rome Odunze and teammate Caleb Williams are two of the 20 unsigned NFL first-round picks as of Sunday.
Rome Odunze and teammate Caleb Williams are two of the 20 unsigned NFL first-round picks as of Sunday. / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
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The month is winding down and the Bears still haven't signed their two first-round draft picks, ninth overall selection Rome Odunze and No. 1 Caleb Williams.

As of Memorial Day, a dozen of the 32 first-round picks have signed but none of the three quarterbacks taken with the first three picks.

In all, three of the first 10 picks have signed including No. 3 Marvin Harrison Jr. with Arizona, No. 6 Malik Nabers with the Giants and tackle JC Latham at No. 7 with the Titans. All of the picks taken from No. 11 through No. 16 have also signed.

It's not unusual for either the first or ninth pick to be unsigned at this point in the offseason, especially the first pick. Odunze and Williams are the only two unsigned Bears picks.

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Ninth pick Jalen Carter last year had signed with the Eagles by May 4. Six of the last 10 ninth picks had signed by May 27.

Among No. 1 picks, four of the last 10 have signed by May 27. Only Bryce Young last year (July 22), Trevor Lawrence in 2021 (July 5) and Joe Burrow (July 28) went beyond June unsigned.

The Bears haven't had a first-round holdout since Roquan Smith in 2018 and that one lasted until just before the last preseason game but wasn't about cash. The 2011 collective bargaining agreement established pay slots and made holdouts unusual.

Here's when the last 10 first-picks signed and last 10 No. 9 picks.

Dates First-Round Picks Signed

No. 9 Pick

2023: Jalen Carter, May 4

2022: Charles Cross, June 1

2021: Patrick Surtain II, May 18

2020: C.J. Henderson, July 16

2019: Ed Oliver, May 9

2018: Mike McGlinchey, July 23

2017: John Ross, May 7

2016: Leonard Floyd, May 27

2015: Ereck Flowers, June 18 

2014: Anthony Barr, May 20

No. 1 Pick

2023: Bryce Young, July 22

2022: Travon Walker, May 12

2021: Trevor Lawrence, July 5

2020: Joe Burrow, July 28

2019: Kyler Murray, May 9

2018: Baker Mayfield, July 24

2017: Myles Garrett, May 19

2016: Jared Goff, June 9

2015: Jameis Winston, May 1

2014: Jadeveon Clowney, June 6

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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.