Antonio Brown’s megadeal is bad news for the Bears

Antonio Brown made history on Monday when the Pittsburgh Steelers signed him to a four-year, $68 million extension. The deal makes him the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL today. Coming off of a season in which he had 106 receptions, 1,284 yards and 12 touchdowns, he more than certainly deserved that massive payday. This gigantic deal is certain to affect the payday of another talented receiver: Alshon Jeffery of the Chicago Bears.

Jeffery’s rookie contract with the Bears has come to an end. Since they chose not to give him the franchise tag, he will hit the open market on March 9th. Considering that he will be the best receiver in free agency this year, he’s bound to get a big contract. Thanks to Brown though, that contract might be bigger than previously expected.

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Jeffery isn’t going to get $17 million per year like Brown did, but a contract somewhat close to it isn’t out of the question. Besides, Kenny Stills is rumored to be worth $12 million annually. Jeffery is much better than Stills is, so his value will skyrocket, as well. So much so that it could be out of reach for the Bears to pay.

Dan Durkin of The Athletic recently tweeted out an infographic comparing Jeffery’s value to the league’s elite receivers:

It’s safe to say that, from a statistical standpoint, Jeffery isn’t worth elite money. He hasn’t been as consistent as a number-one threat, and he’s struggled to stay healthy in recent years. Plus, considering how many needs the Bears have, they can’t afford to spend $15 million+ annually on one player.

However, Jeffery is a vital part of Chicago’s offense. He is the only receiver they have that can be considered a number-one guy. Cameron Meredith hasn’t proven enough yet, Kevin White can’t stay healthy, and nobody else puts up an argument. Losing Jeffery would be destructive to their offense.

They also have to keep in mind how much he could speed up the development of whomever their future quarterback may be. Jared Goff has proven that it’s tough for a rookie signal-caller to succeed without a good supporting cast. Even if Chicago trades for Jimmy Garoppolo, not having Jeffery around would make adjusting to being a full-time starter a challenge.

What should the Bears do with Alshon Jeffery? One can make a valid case for re-signing or letting him go. However, one thing is absolutely certain: no matter where he goes, he’s bound to make a lot of money.

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