CHGO Digest: Bears ink Caleb & Rome, Cubs & White Sox rumors in full swing

Good morning, friends!

Congratulations! You’ve made it to the other side of the sports world’s annual lull.

Major League Baseball returns today (even though the Cubs and White Sox don’t play again until Friday), Bears training camp practices begin this weekend, and it’ll be like Chicago’s sports solstice never happened.

We’ll miss these last few days in two weeks when the trade deadline gets stressful and Caleb Williams inevitably throws a singular errant pass in practice.

— Patrick Norton

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Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze officially sign rookie contracts

Our long national nightmare is over. Any doubt that Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze would be in attendance when training camp practices begin on Saturday is gone. The contracts are final. Play ball.

Odunze signed his four-year deal with the Bears on Tuesday when rookies reported to Halas Hall. Shortly after, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Bears and Williams had agreed to terms.

However, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported that the deal was not yet final on Wednesday morning due to language in the contract. According to Florio, Williams’ team pushed for a no-tag commitment, but the Bears ultimately denied the request.

• Williams’ contract is the 1st-round standard four years, fully guaranteed, and worth $39 million. The deal reportedly comes with a shiny $25.5 million signing bonus. Odunze also received four years fully guaranteed but only worth $22.7 million with a $13.3 million signing bonus.
  
• That leaves just J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner, both of the Minnesota Vikings, as the only remaining 1st-round picks from the 2024 NFL Draft currently unsigned.
  

🎧 LISTEN | The CHGO Bears Podcast crew previews training camp, picks players to watch, and identifies players that could reach the next level in 2024.

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Hit the links with us! Limited tickets remain!

Join CHGO and ALLCITY’s Big Drive Energy at St. Andrews Golf and Country Club in West Chicago on July 22 for the inaugural Cookout Classic Golf Tournament! Sign up as an individual, twosome, or foursome!

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Cubs, White Sox deadline rumors heating up

The MLB All-Star Game confirmed what we already knew: Garrett Crochet and Shota Imanaga are otherworldly. But the left-handed aces are in vastly different spots in their career.

Less than two weeks from the trade deadline, it feels like a foregone conclusion that Crochet will find himself in another team’s rotation before 5 p.m. on July 30. For Imanaga, the Cubs are tasked with building around his talents before he can opt out after 2025.

• The White Sox drafting LHP Hagen Smith with the No. 5 overall pick on Sunday night indicates that the team plans to accelerate its rebuild by moving Crochet for a wealth of hitting prospects.
  
• Luis Robert Jr. is reportedly garnering interest from the Mariners and Phillies, but Robert is under team control through 2027. While trading Robert would return an unfathomable haul, at some point, the White Sox have to be interested in keeping their stars.
  
• The Cubs have reached a breaking point — buy, sell, or stay put. A weekend series hosting the Diamondbacks, followed by the Brewers coming to town on Monday means it’s now or never to compete for a spot in the Wild Card.
  

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Roundup: Sky trade Mabrey to Sun

• The Sky don’t play again until August 15 thanks to the WNBA All-Star break and Olympics, but they’ll be without a familiar face when they return. The team announced a trade on Wednesday, sending Marina Mabrey and a 2025 2nd-round pick to the Connecticut Sun. Chicago receives Rachel Banham, Moriah Jefferson, Connecticut’s 2025 1st-round pick, and the right to swap 2026 1st-rounders.
  
• Happy birthday, Connor Bedard! The Blackhawks’ superstar turned 19 on Wednesday.
  

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CHGO Rank Week!

CHGO is ranking the top 25 games in Chicago sports!

From Jordan's Flu Game to Buehrle's Perfecto, we've been lucky to pile up a lifetime of thrills 📣

Follow this thread all week for debates over the games that brought titles and unforgettable memories 🧵⬇️ pic.twitter.com/wm4IRiEC1l

— CHGO Sports (@CHGO_Sports) July 15, 2024

It’s Rank Week at CHGO! We’re counting down and debating our list of the 25 greatest games in Chicago sports history! We’re updating the list every day with five more games until we reveal our Top 5 tomorrow!

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Join us for an upcoming CHGO event!

⚾ 7/19: Friday 1:20 Club at Wrigley Field! — vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
⛳️ 7/22: Cookout Classic Golf Outing at St. Andrews!
⚾ 7/26: CHGO Cubs Watch Party at Miller’s Ale House!
⚾ 8/9: Crosstown Classic Takeover at Guaranteed Rate Field
⛳ 8/23: Kickoff Classic Golf Tournament at Cog Hill!

Check out our full calendar here!