After the Bears lost to the Vikings in Week 17 to drop their record to 3-13 on the season, wide receiver Alshon Jeffery showed some unexpected confidence about what’s next for the team.
Jeffery said he would “guarantee you we’re going to win the Super Bowl next year,” which was notable for both its level of optimism and the fact that Jeffery was including himself as a member of the 2017 Bears. Jeffery played out this year on the franchise tag, which leaves him in position to be a free agent this offseason.
Jeffery missed four games while serving a suspension and ended the year with 52 catches for 821 yards and two touchdowns. Injuries limited him to nine games in 2015, which is among the things that General Manager Ryan Pace will have to weigh when it comes to his “big decision” on Jeffery’s future with the franchise.
“He’s an extremely talented player that has high expectations for himself,” Pace said in a Wednesday press conference. “I don’t feel like this season he really got into a rhythm that he would have liked to have gotten into. I think that was because of a lot of different quarterback play. And also he missed four games. It’s hard for him to get in a rhythm and showcase what he can do.”
A long-term deal is a possibility while a second franchise tag would cost the Bears north of $17 million for 2017. Their cap space could handle either option without limiting too many things they’d like to do this offseason. It wouldn’t settle the quarterback situation, though, and the Bears may decide that spreading their resources around to more places better serves the quest for that Super Bowl than a big price tag for Jeffery.