Adam Schefter at ESPN has reported that Alshon Jeffery has been franchised:
Hardly a surprise, but Bears are placing franchise tag on WR Alshon Jeffery, per team source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 26, 2016
I find this report easy to believe in that franchising Jeffery should be a slam dunk if the Bears can’t come to a long-term deal before Tuesday’s deadline to place the tag. Nevertheless, neither the Chicago Tribune nor the Chicago Sun-Times has picked up this report leaving doubt about its veracity.
I’d say that Schefter is right in that the Bears have probably already decided to tag Jeffery. The signs certainly are that they want him back and he wants to be back. Though the Bears could tag Jeffery early – they really don’t have anyone else to use it on – there’s no apparent advantage to placing it on him too far before the deadline.