Chicago Bears To Franchise Tag WR Alshon Jeffery

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Chicago Bears intend to use the franchise tag to keep WR Alshon Jeffery around for 2016:

Hardly a surprise, but Bears are placing franchise tag on WR Alshon Jeffery, per team source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 26, 2016

Jeffery was the likely headliner in an otherwise relatively weak upcoming free agent WR class. We alluded to this possibility a couple of weeks ago. The use of the tag would allow the Bears to work out a long-term deal over the course of the 2016 season assuming Jeffery maintains his production and is able to stay healthy in 2016. Jeffery missed half of the 2015 season or so with a hamstring injury.

The Rams, on the other hand, are looking somewhat perilous at WR at this point. With three members of the WR corps holding expiring contracts, the Rams' current crop includes Tavon Austin, Kenny Britt, Bradley Marquez, Isiah Ferguson and Kain Colter.

For his part, Rams GM Les Snead might well have tipped the Rams' hand in his remarks at the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine yesterday:

Here’s what I would say about an upgrade [at wide receiver]. I do think that last year, we dropped too many balls at times. I think whether it’s those guys that we have in-house -- because they can do it -- continue to get more consistent, or in this draft… In all draft, there are good football players, and I think you’re always going to look to, if you can add, especially a good offensive skill player, you’re going to do it. Because scoring points does help you win. So in this draft, I don’t want to give too many cards away, but we do like some wide receivers in this draft.