Can Bears maintain Alshon Jeffery without franchise tag?

The Chicago Bears have taken a passive stance to the problem of Alshon Jeffery's contract because the finish within the routine season.

With no multiyear agreement in place before the new league year begins on March 9, the Bears risk the solid possibility of losing Jeffery to yet another club in free of cost company.

That is definitely, of course, unless the Bears apply the franchise tag for a second consecutive 12 months at a value of approximately $17.five million. Teams have from now till four p.m. ET on March 1 to designate franchise players. The Bears waited until finally late in that window to tag Jeffery in 2016.

Jeffery's demands aren't exactly a mystery. Because it's rare for an upper-echelon receiver to hit the open marketplace, Jeffery -- who just turned 27 years old -- can expect to be paid in excess of $12.five million per 12 months.


The deal T.Y. Hilton signed in Indianapolis averages $13 million per season. The Denver Broncos' Demaryius Thomas along with the Dallas Cowboys' Dez Bryant make an typical of $14 million throughout the duration of their respective contracts. The Atlanta Falcons' Julio Jones and the Cincinnati Bengals' A.J. Green normal a little more than that.

Nobody is saying Jeffery is actually a superior player than Green, Jones or Bryant, but teams generally re-sign their No. one receivers. Star players are almost always slightly overpaid in cost-free agency, and Jeffery will likely be no assorted -- unless the Bears prevent him from testing complimentary agency.

Jeffery also wants to perform for a winner. That is an important variable during the event Chicago declines to tag him but truly wants to preserve him -- which can be uncertain. 1 from the only issues Jeffery ever discusses using the media is his need to win. That comes across as authentic. He does not strike me like a "smash-and-grab guy" who'll sign which has a bad staff just simply because they make available slightly a little more capital.

Many scoffed when Jeffery boldly predicted the Bears, 3-13 in 2016, would win the Super Bowl next season. The Bears have been not laughing. Not only did general manager Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox publicly support Jeffery's comments, they backed him up privately ahead of gamers left for that offseason. The Bears want big-name players such as Jeffery or Kyle Long to talk openly about winning. The franchise continues to be from the dumps for far too prolonged. As Fox explained, "you must feel it just before you do it."

But would be the Bears there however? That's tough to response. Conventional wisdom suggests the Bears are at the least one more year or two away from staying legitimate contenders (if it happens). Jeffery probably prefers to join a winner this offseason, but all of that's moot in the event the Bears use the tag.

The $17.5-million figure can be a tremendous amount for a single season, however the Bears are flush with salary-cap area. And also the NFL's cap is going up this 12 months. Plus, Chicago paid Jeffery $14.599 million in 2016, so it can be not as if they're opposed to carrying a big cap amount for one player.


The Bears are unable to bank on Kevin White since the heir apparent. Eddie Royal has been unable to keep healthy the final two seasons and is out of guaranteed cash. The rookie contract of Marquess Wilson, who's in no way been healthy, is set to expire. Joshua Bellamy and Deonte Thompson (unrestricted no cost agent) are best suited for special teams. And Daniel Braverman is really a 2016 seventh-round select.

After Cameron Meredith -- a nice No. two or No. three option -- what else do the Bears have? Can they come across a receiver significantly better than Jeffery in free agency or even the draft? To me, which is what it boils right down to.

When the response is no, then how does letting Jeffery go make the Bears a far better workforce? When the target is winning games, then uncovering a way to retain Jeffery -- even for just a single a great deal more season -- ought to be a priority. A second franchise tag is expensive, but it beats letting a 27-year outdated, top-10 wide receiver stroll away for practically nothing.