While there was some brief speculation that the Chicago Bears could end up letting Alshon Jeffery walk, the most likely result was the Bears applying the franchise tag to their star receiver. That's exactly what seems to be happening with Adam Schefter's report on Friday afternoon.
The 26-year-old Jeffery suffered through an injury-plagued season in 2015, playing in just nine games. But before 2015, Jeffery posted consecutive seasons with 80-plus receptions, 1,100-plus receiving yards and seven-plus touchdowns. The franchise tag might be the best case for both sides.
The cost for a wide receiver franchise tag should sit somewhere around $15 million for the 2016 season, an excellent amount for Jeffrey to make on a one-year deal. It will allow Jeffrey to prove he can stay healthy and get back to dominating as a No.1 wide receiver, then come back next offseason and cash in with a long-term deal.
Chicago gets to keep its top receiver in the building for another year, hoping the defense can take a step forwards and an improved offense can make them potential wild-card contenders in 2016. The Bears also aren't locked into a long-term deal that could backfire if Jeffery's body doesn't hold up again next year. Jeffery's fantasy value remains the same and now the NFL free agent market loses its top wide receiver.