The Bears aren’t expected to sign anyone to the franchise tag ahead of Tuesday’s 3 p.m. deadline.
Only two players from their seven-person 2021 draft class finished last season on their roster, and neither of those — guard Teven Jenkins or tackle Larry Borom — are worth the $23.4 million, one-year contract that the franchise tag would guarantee offensive linemen. Former quarterback Justin Fields would be finishing his fourth season with the team, too, had the Bears not traded him to the Steelers a year ago.
The franchise tag is a one-year designation that teams can give their own players to keep them out of unrestricted free agency.