According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Bears and franchise WR Alshon Jeffery have continued to discuss a long-term contract extension and an agreement is “certainly possible.”
If the two sides are able to get a new contract in place before the July 15 deadline, Fowler says that it will be late in process.
- Jason Cole of B/R reported a few weeks ago that the two sides are unlikely to have an agreement in place on a long-term deal before the deadline, as the two parties are just too far apart in contract talks.
- Cole added that the Bears still want to see more from Jeffery in 2016 before they consider signing him to a long-term extension.
The overall expectation has been that Jeffery will play out the 2016 season under the franchise tag and test the open market again next year. However, it appears as though there’s at least some optimism that a deal could get done in the next few weeks.
Jeffery, 26, was taken in the second-round of the 2012 NFL draft by the Bears. He played out the the final year of his four-year, $4.54 million rookie contract that included a $1.74 million signing bonus before receiving the team’s franchise tag.
The franchise tag will run the Bears $14.599 million guaranteed for the 2016 season.
Jeffery’s 2015 season ended with him appearing in nine games and recording 54 receptions for 807 yards receiving and four touchdowns. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 10 receiver out of 119 qualifying players.
We’ll have more regarding a long-term extension for Jeffery as the news is available.
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