Bears place franchise tag on Alshon Jeffery

The Chicago Bears have placed the franchise tag on impending free-agent wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, the team announced Monday.

Reports surfaced during the the NFL Scouting Combine that the team was indeed set to do so, but Chicago continued to discuss the possibility of a long-term deal with Jeffery's representation.

The two sides will likely continue to hold such discussions in the coming months, ideally having a new deal replace the one-year tender well in advance of the July 15 negotiation deadline.

Jeffery, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, received the non-exclusive franchise tag. The designation still gives him the right to negotiate with other teams, but the Bears would receive two first-round picks as compensation for any deal in the unlikely event he signs elsewhere.

As it currently stands, the 26-year-old is now tentatively set to play the upcoming season under a $14.599-million salary.

Jeffery struggled with injuries in 2015, but the talent he's demonstrated when healthy gave the Bears no choice but to use the tag as a last resort to keep him off the open market.

Appearing in each of the team's 32 games over the two seasons prior, Jeffery hauled in an impressive 174 receptions for 2,554 yards and 17 touchdowns.