Chicago Bears could lose Caleb Williams for playoffs without new contract

The Chicago Bears will have 18 games for Caleb Williams to play under his rookie contract for sure.

Then some drama could ensue, and it could come before the Bears play in the postseason (should they make it that far).

Williams, the No. 1 pick in 2024, is currently on a four-year deal worth $39.4 million. He’ll become eligible for a new contract immediately after the Bears finish their Week 18 contest at the Minnesota Vikings on Jan. 10.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk argued that the new (half-billion deal) Patrick Mahomes signed with the Kansas City Chiefs will be a talking point for Williams in discussions this winter. He noted Williams has been focused on the “business realities” of the league.

That means the Bears might have to be ready to give Williams a new deal before the postseason. There’s a chance Williams might hold out during the playoffs if he doesn’t have a new deal, choosing not to take the risk of injury before the offseason.

“We’ve already heard talk of Williams having expectations that would be more than eye-popping,” Florio wrote. “And we also expect that Williams will make it known that he wants his contract not after the 2026 postseason ends, but promptly upon the opening of the window for a new deal after the Bears face the Vikings in Week 18.”

“Why carry the injury risk into the 2026 postseason? No quarterback on his rookie deal has tried to do that, even though the CBA wrinkle has been hiding in plain sight since 2011.”

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Would Caleb Williams miss the Chicago Bears postseason?

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With this article coming right after mandatory minicamp and more than a month away before training camp, talking about the postseason is purely hypothetical at this point. However, the Bears won the NFC North last season and appear poised to be in the contention to repeat this season in a rather weak division.

Would Williams demand a contract before the playoffs?

It would certainly rub some in Chicago the wrong way. Maybe even his teammates.

But the NFL is a business, and for Williams, he’d certainly have leverage on his side by potentially withholding his labor for the playoffs.

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