Will the Chicago Bears use the franchise tag in 2023?

On Tuesday, the NFL offseason hit another key date. As of now, teams can use the franchise tag as they please, but will the Chicago Bears make such a decision?

Over the past year, general manager Ryan Poles has done a number on the roster. He’s made moves in such a way that, quite frankly, this team doesn’t have to use the franchise tag on anybody during the 2023 offseason.

Getting rid of guys like Khalil Mack, Robert Quinn, among others, has given the Bears a lot of flexibility, cap-wise, and eliminated any gigantic names from the team that could possibly earn even more money going forward.

But, there is one possibility for Chicago to use the franchise tag. It might not seem too obvious, but running back David Montgomery is certainly worth talking about here.

Would the Chicago Bears consider the franchise tag for running back David Montgomery?

Montgomery is, of course, coming off his rookie deal after being a third-round pick back in 2019.

In four seasons with the Bears, Montgomery has rushed for 3,609 yards and totaled 1,240 receiving yards, giving him nearly 5,000 yards from scrimmage in his first four seasons. For a good chunk of that time, the Bears were flat-out bad.

Montgomery has become a fan favorite. His fun, goofy and humble demeanor has grown on fans since Day 1. He’s a tough-nosed player that never stops working, never stops churning those legs.

But, running backs simply don’t get paid like they used to. They can be found and replaced so easily now that, well, the value at the position has significantly diminished. For the 2023 season, the franchise tag number for running backs is just over $10 million.

At the moment, Montgomery’s market value lies right around $7 million, according to Spotrac.

That would mean the Bears pay Montgomery $3 million more than his estimated annual value. That would also mean the Bears want Montgomery back — as do many fans, surely.

With so many other needs on this roster, though, and Khalil Herbert being the heir apparent waiting in the wing, Chicago’s likelihood of forking out that much cash to Montgomery is slim to none. The most logical outcome, here, is that Ryan Poles and company figure out a fair deal to bring him back for around three years.