HALF FULL: MARKET IS COLDER THAN PREDICTED
The assumption throughout the past few months was that Jeffery was destined for a huge pay day when free agency opened. At least one team would mean his asking price, which many feel shoots above $15 million per year. A number the Bears aren’t willing to meet. However, are people not giving the rest of the NFL enough credit?
No team knows Jeffery better than Chicago. So if they’re not willing to pay him that much, what do they have in terms of inside information that an outsider wouldn’t? Then there is the fact that he’s not exactly hitting the market on a high note. The past two seasons he’s missed 11 games (7 for injury and 4 for a PED suspension). He also hasn’t reached 1,000 yards for two-straight years.
Not exactly the conduct of a #1 wide receiver. Sean Wagner-McGough of CBS Sports broke down how the Bears may have played this angle perfectly.
“But maybe Pace is onto something.
By not tagging Jeffery, he’s letting Jeffery see what kind of offers he can garner on the open market, which sorta seems like a stupid move because the Bears have a ton of cap space and very easily could’ve tagged Jeffery for a second straight year. But it also could end up being a smart move.
If the Bears had tagged Jeffery, they probably wouldn’t have reached a long-term agreement with him, because he likely would’ve wanted to test his worth in free agency after the 2017 season. By letting Jeffery test his worth now — after a disappointing season that included a suspension — the Bears are betting that he won’t find the kind of money he’s anticipating. And that could drive down the price Jeffery is asking the Bears for, which would increase the likelihood of them signing him at a price they have in mind.
In short, this could be the best time for the Bears to let Jeffery test the market.”
The rest of the NFL saw what the top of the market will look like when the Steelers gave Antonio Brown his new extension. A five-year deal worth $68 million at roughly $17 million per year. Right below him is A.J. Green at $15 million per year. Teams will see right away that Jeffery is nowhere close to the same level of production those two have been. At this point it becomes clear Alshon won’t get the huge raise he’d expected. Thus his renewed talks with the Bears.
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