Breaking down Caleb Williams' Bears rookie contract: How much will QB earn?

Caleb Williams was selected as the top pick by the Chicago Bears in the 2024 NFL draft in April. After a relatively long saga, the quarterback finally signed his rookie contract with the Bears franchise on Tuesday. But how much will the former USC Trojan earn?

Caleb Williams Bears rookie contract breakdown

Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams (Image Credits - IMAGN)

As per reports, Caleb Williams signed a four-year, fully guaranteed contract worth $39.4 million with the Chicago Bears. The rookie deal includes a fifth-year option and a lucrative $25.5 million signing bonus.

Reports from Spotrac suggest that Williams will carry a cap hit of $7.1 million in 2024. Along with his signing bonus, the signal-caller will earn a base salary of $795,000 this year.

As we edge closer to the 2024 NFL training camp, Williams is currently the 22nd highest-paid quarterback in the league. His annual salary equates to $9,871,515.

Until Tuesday, many fans and analysts were concerned about when Williams would sign his Bears contract. Last week, the quarterback said that he wasn't personally handling the negotiations on his rookie deal.

“I’m not handling that,” Williams said, per the Chicago Tribune. “My lawyers and attorney and everybody, the head of the Bears, everybody up there up top is handling that. That’s not my position that I’m handling.”

Williams and the other Bears rookies reported to Halas Hall on Tuesday for the start of the team's training camp. The rest of the team will join the newcomers at Chicago's Lake Forest facility on Friday.

The Bears named Williams as their starting quarterback in May. It will be interesting to see how he fares in the big league after a stellar collegiate career.

Williams played his freshman year at Oklahoma in 2021. He posted 1,912 yards and 21 touchdowns on 131 passes for the Sooners. Ahead of the 2022 season, Williams transferred to USC. He won the Heisman Trophy in his first season with the Trojans.

In two seasons at USC, Williams threw for 8,170 yards and recorded 72 touchdowns, completing 599 of 888 passes.

The Chicago Bears open their 2024 NFL season on Sept. 8 when they welcome the Tennessee Titans to Soldier Field. The game kicks off at 1 p.m. ET and will be shown live on FOX.