The Chicago Bears have one of the best wide receivers in the NFL on their current roster, and they could decide to let him test free agency.
It has been widely assumed that the Bears will use the franchise tag on Jeffery if they are unable to work out a long-term extension with him. However, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport is hearing that Jeffery getting the tag is not a foregone conclusion.
#Bears tidbit: Assumption has been they'll tag WR Alshon Jeffery. I'm told no decision has been made & there's a chance he hits the market
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 19, 2016
Jeffery, 26, had trouble staying healthy in 2015. The value of the 2016 franchise tag would be somewhere in the range of $13 million, and it’s possible the Bears don’t want to commit that kind of money to a player who appeared in only nine games.
But they should.
If the contract this star wide receiver signed last year is any indication, letting Jeffery test free agency could mean he is as good as gone. If injuries are the concern, the franchise tag makes perfect sense. The Bears would keep Jeffery in his prime and force him to play for another contract. That formula has worked out for teams many teams in the past.
