Wright first of Florida’s 2010 draftees to sign deal

Chicago Bears safety Major Wright became the first Florida Gators player selected in the 2010 NFL Draft to be signed by his team after agreeing to a four-year contract on Friday, according to the Chicago Tribune.

“With this being my dream, signing a contract is a blessing for me,” Wright told the team’s website. “It shows that hard work pays off. I’m very excited and my family is very excited.”

Though terms of the deal were not available at press time, Wright’s signing is significant for the Bears because the team is now the first in league history to have all of its draft picks under contract before the end of May – an achievement the front office takes prides in. It is the fifth-straight year the team has been the first in the NFL to sign all of its draftees.

UPDATE: Wright’s contract is believed to have a maximum value of $3.368 million, $845,000 in guaranteed payments and a fourth-year escalator clause, according to information obtained by Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.

Chicago and Wright’s agent, Mitch Frankel, had to overcome a “one-timer” contract clause that was a necessity because of the team’s underfunded rookie salary pool.

Essentially, Wright will earn less of a signing bonus and instead be provided an additional non-guaranteed incentive in the final year of his rookie contract (2013) as long as he actually steps on the field as a safety (rather than just a special teams player) at some point during his first three seasons. One-timers are generally used for the contracts of second-round picks, but the Bears found a need to use it for Wright – the team’s top selection (No. 75 overall) in April.

He is expected to immediately compete for Chicago’s starting free safety job, and the coaching staff is hopefully he will win the job during training camp.

Photo Credit: Associated Press