Bear Played It Safe with D.J. Williams

Well, financially at least.

ESPN NFC North blogger Kevin Siefert gives the specifics of D.J. Williams‘ contract:

The contract does not include any guaranteed money. Williams’ base salary is $900,000, and there are two sets of roster bonuses that will pay him $23,437 for every game he is on the 53-man roster and another $23,437 each time he is on the game-day 46-man roster. So if he is active for all 16 games, those roster bonuses would total $750,000.

There is also a $100,000 workout bonus tied to offseason work.

Williams played only seven games last season due to two suspensions.  He  had a DUI and he also failed a mandatory league drug test.   So the Bears were cautious with the contract.  It won’t help them on the field if he has to be released but they won’t be on the hook for any money.

I’d expect they’ll keep on looking pretty hard for more linebacker help in case Williams doesn’t work out.  The draft still might be a good place for that to happen but things have to fall the right way for that to happen.