NFL franchise tag window will give Bears clarity on two fronts heading into free agency

NFL franchise tag window will give Bears clarity on two fronts heading into free agency originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

The NFL offseason officially started Tuesday when the tag window opened up. From Tuesday, February 20, until March 5, teams can place the franchise tag or transition tag on players whose contracts are set to expire.

Teams usually wait until later in the window to exercise the tag and will have until mid-July to agree on a long-term extension with the tagged player. The player must play on the one-year deal if an extension isn’t reached. Teams and players can continue to work out different incentives past the mid-July deadline, but it has to be done within the one-year parameters of the tag.

The Bears will be front and center during the window, with star cornerback Jaylon Johnson expected to receive the tag as his camp and general manager Ryan Poles work to find common ground on a long-term contract.

The tag window will provide some clarity on Johnson’s future and put $18.8 million on the books for 2024 unless a different deal is reached by mid-July.

But the Bears will also get a complete understanding of the free agent market during the tag window.

The Bears still need to fill numerous holes in their roster, including wide receiver, center, safety, and defensive end.

Potential high-price free-agent targets like wide receiver Tee Higgins, safety Antoine Winfield, edge rushers Brian Burns and Josh Allen, and defensive tackle Justin Madubuike will likely receive the tag during the window.

On the flip side, wide receiver Mike Evans, defensive tackle Chris Jones, defensive end Bryce Huff, safety Kyle Dugger, and edge rusher Danielle Hunter either are not expected to be tagged or, in Hunter’s case, have a no-tag clause in their contract.

After releasing Eddie Jackson and Cody Whitehair, the Bears have around $67 million in cap space. But once you factor in the draft class slots, the 51-man total, and the necessary in-season spending, the Bears are…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-franchise-tag-window-bears-155012508.html

Author : NBC Sports Chicago

Publish date : 2024-02-20 15:50:12

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.