Pete Crow-Armstrong’s extension with the Cubs has Bears fans excited for Caleb Williams, but other extensions will be on the way first
Chicago sports are finally looking up with the new franchise talent.
The Chicago sports scene is looking up thanks to the new franchise talent that has arrived to the city over the last few years and the first name has finally landed a big long-term extension.
According to MLB insider Jeff Passan, the Chicago Cubs finalizing a contract extension with 23-year-old center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong coming off an impressive season. Crow-Armstrong is now set for a massive pay day once the details of this new deal are released.
It’s a much deserved extension for one of the top rising young stars that has quickly established himself as a franchise player in Chicago. That kind of deal also has Chicago sports fan excited about the upcoming extension for Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, one that will be announced next offseason.
Bears are already planning out a long-term extension with their own franchise superstar
When the Bears drafted Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, they were banking on a player that could single-handedly change the trajectory for the entire franchise. It took just two years for Williams to already break the franchise’s single-season passing yard record and he’s already shown flashes of greatness that will last for years to come in Chicago.
“Anyone that’s watched the league long enough knows that for quarterback play, it’s consistency,” Bears general manager Ryan Poles said at the NFL Combine. “Can you stack years on top of each other? We still have steps to go. I don’t want to make it like he’s already [there]. He knows he’s got work to do. But if all of that falls into place, we have to understand how that changes our formula as we move forward. That’s a great thing to be on that path. I feel like we have a long-term quarterback solution. It makes me excited.”
The plan is already being put in motion to allocate resources for Williams’ deal, one that very likely could reset the quarterback market. While Williams is on a rookie deal, the Bears are in the ideal window to maximize the rest of the roster around their franchise quarterback but time is ticking.
It’s not a matter of if anymore, it’s a matter of when Williams gets his new deal. In September of 2023, Joe Burrow signed a five-year, $275 million extension with the Cincinnati Bengals ahead of his fourth season, one that made him the NFL’s highest-paid player. In June 2024, Trevor Lawrence signed a five-year, $275 million extension with the Jacksonville Jaguars ahead of his fourth season.
Based on those previous first overall picks, next offseason, the bill will come for Williams’ extension and the Bears will have to get a franchise-player of their own locked up on a long-term deal. But, Williams isn’t going to be the next extension-worthy candidate for the Bears.
Cole Kmet and Darnell Wright extensions will likely come before Caleb Williams’ new deal
In all likelihood, the next extension coming down the tracks for the Bears will be with veteran tight end Cole Kmet. Kmet signed a four-year, $50 million contract extension in July 2023 and still has two years remaining on his contract. However, extending him this offseason would lower his 2026 cap hit and provide him with more guaranteed money. It’s a logical move for the Bears saying it’s something Kmet will agree to and remain in Chicago.
The other massive deal the Bears need to start planning for is with right tackle and 2023 first-round pick Darnell Wright. The Bears first will have to pick up Wright’s fifth-year option by May 1, and then start discussions on a long-term deal to add on top of it. Said new deal will make Wright one of, if not the, highest-paid right tackles in football.
“When he strings it together, it’s really, really good, and it’s going to help us win football games,” Poles said of Wright. “I love watching him come off the ball and move people. And when he has this confidence and belief in himself that he’s the best on the field, I think he can be one of the best to do it. He just has to show up and continue to put that work in and get there.”
It’s an exciting time to be a Chicago sports fan and an even more exciting time to be one of the top young professional athletes playing for this city.
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