Chicago Bears news: Team still in discussion with Alshon Jeffery
Many thought the Chicago Bears decided to part ways with Alshon Jeffery when they did not franchise tag him. Turns out that may not be the case. The two sides are still talking and open to continuing their relationship.
When the Chicago Bears decided not to franchise tag wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, the prevailing thought was that Jefferey’s days in Chicago were over. Jeffery spoke about wanting to play for a contender. Since the Bears haven’t been to the playoffs since 2010 and have just one playoff win since 2006, it appeared as if they were out of the running. This is what he said to ESPN’s Josina Anderson (via ESPN Chicago’s Jeff Dickerson):
"I don’t have any hard feelings towards the Bears — it’s all love. Whatever the next chapter is, I’m ready for it. I’m looking at the teams that obviously need a wide receiver, but also put me in the best situation to win a championship right now. I also want to see what other free agents may be attracted to the same teams I’ll be looking at. That can help that goal."
It appears that thinking might have been mistaken.
It turns out that the two sides met recently and that negotiation turned out well. Both sides are still open to a reunion after all. From Ian Rapoport’s Twitter page:
The #Bears and FA WR Alshon Jeffery's agent had a positive meeting today, I'm told. Both sides are more than open to a reunion....
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 4, 2017
I wrote earlier that the fact the Bears failed to tag Jeffery didn’t mean he was out of Chicago. General manager Ryan Pace gambled on the fact that Jeffery’s two subpar seasons and his PED suspension lowers the demand for his services. Jeffery may not get the offer he wants and then figure staying in his NFL home is right for him.
Of course, that is a huge gamble. Usually, there is one team out there that overpays for a free agent. With a small market for wide receivers and Jeffery being the biggest receiver out there, that may happen. The team still owns exclusive negotiating rights until Tuesday, so perhaps they still keep Jeffery from hitting the open market.
Next: Ranking the top players Bears should take in the first round
The Chicago Bears need Alshon Jeffery in their offense. There will be a new quarterback so that new player needs weapons around him to succeed. They need to go all out to bring Jeffery back to the fold and help them win again.