The Chicago Bears have placed the franchise tag on wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, the team announced Monday.
The move allows the Bears to work out a long-term deal with the 26-year old wideout, but if no new deal is made by July 15, Jeffery will play under the one-year tag worth $14.599 million.
Bears would have loved a deal under that number. This is where the tag can help a guy, and it has for Jeffery. https://t.co/ruK8VQn4Q9
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 29, 2016
Chicago chose to use the "non-exclusive franchise tag" on Jeffery, which permits him to field offers from other teams. However, the Bears will have the option to match any contract offer made to the star receiver.
Despite a number of different injuries that caused him to miss seven games in 2015, Jeffery had 54 catches for 807 receiving yards and four touchdowns last season. In four seasons with the Bears, Jeffery has recorded 252 receptions for 3,728 yards and 24 touchdowns in 51 games.
Jeffery, a second-round selection (45th overall) in the 2012 NFL Draft, is one of five players in franchise history to record two 1,000-yard receiving seasons, first in 2013 (1,421 yards) and again 2014 (1,133 yards).
