Chicago Bears rookies were set to report to Training Camp at Halas Hall on Tuesday and among the items that was accomplished was Rome Odunze signing his rookie contract with the Bears.
As the day started on Tuesday, the largest question that loomed over the Bears was when Odunze and Caleb Williams were going to sign their rookie deals. In each case, there was never a real reason to be overly concerned and Odunze's deal proves that to be true.
The #Bears agreed to terms with No. 9 overall pick Rome Odunze on his four-year, $22.7 million fully guaranteed rookie deal with a fifth-year option, per source. pic.twitter.com/bj7GXSrEp4
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 16, 2024
Odunze was selected by the Bears with the 9th overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft and joins a wide receiver core that already includes DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. The expectation is that Odunze may serve as the Bears' slot receiver for a large portion of the 2024 season while Allen and Moore are the two receivers on the outside. New Bears' offensive coordinator Shane Waldron is no stranger to three wide-receiver sets
Rome Odunze signs rookie contract with Bears.
Now that Odunze has signed, the attention is solely on quarterback Caleb Williams. When asked last weekend about the status of his contract negotiations, Williams did not seem concerned. The Bears' first practice of Training Camp is not until Friday, so there remains time for Williams to complete his deal without missing anything of consequence.
There is some form of irony that Odunze signed his rookie contract on the same day that San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk requested a trade.
Source: #49ers All-Pro WR Brandon Aiyuk has officially requested a trade after an offseason of unsuccessful attempts to reach an extension.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) July 16, 2024
Despite a recent meeting, the Niners haven’t been willing to engage in negotiations since May so Aiyuk has respectfully asked out. pic.twitter.com/EWxYMvsHch
For years, the Bears were the oft-rumored team for any wide receiver who grew disgruntled with their current team. Ironically, that is the main reason why the Bears were able to trade for Allen earlier this off-season. Allen refused to restructure his contract with the Los Angeles Chargers, creating the opening for the Bears to complete the trade for the Pro-Bowl wide receiver.