Packers Sign CB Kyle Fuller to Offer Sheet; Bears have 5 Days to Match

[Fountain City Blues]

 

[Fountain City Blues]

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Makes sense for the Bears to just keep him at 26 years of age. Bears have $50M+ cap and Tribusky is cheap for another 3 years... At that point you can cut Fuller for free (29-30) and throw the money to Tribusky if he's the guy.

Really have no clue why the Bears would even entertain letting him walk (which they really haven't). Signing him to 4 years for $12M a year is fine. Fuller is 26 and is an above average corner who has room to grow as the defense improves.

No brainer. Fuller is not worth the $15M franchise tag though, so this makes sense.

 

[beardown07]

Packers are sticking it to us, even in the offseason. This is a win-win for the Packers. They address a need with plenty of cap space. Worst case scenario, they forced the Bears' hand, dictating their contract with a player.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Packers are sticking it to us, even in the offseason. This is a win-win for the Packers. They address a need with plenty of cap space. Worst case scenario, they forced the Bears' hand, dictating their contract with a player.

How are they sticking it to you? They accepted the transition and you countered which means you get him $3M cheaper than the franchise tag. You can't poison pill anymore, so this is fine... and giving Fuller $15M franchise tag would've been a mistake.

There's a decent chance the Bears were fine paying him $12M per anyway give you have $50M in cap. Honestly Fuller is probably worth $10M, but whatever. He's no risk to the ridiculous cap the Bears have until Tribusky or your next franchise QB are an issue. You have Tribusky cheap for 3 more years and Fuller is 26 and an above average (84 PFF rating) corner in the league... he was going to get paid regardless.

 

[beardown07]

How are they sticking it to you? They accepted the transition and you countered which means you get him $3M cheaper than the franchise tag. You can't poison pill anymore, so this is fine... and giving Fuller $15M franchise tag would've been a mistake.

There's a decent chance the Bears were fine paying him $12M per anyway give you have $50M in cap. Honestly Fuller is probably worth $10M, but whatever. He's no risk to the ridiculous cap the Bears have until Tribusky or your next franchise QB are an issue. You have Tribusky cheap for 3 more years and Fuller is 26 and an above average (84 PFF rating) corner in the league... he was going to get paid regardless.

I honestly didn't read/see the match yet.

 

[pumpkinhead33793]

The Packers just helped the Bears lol.

18M guaranteed for a number 1 corner about to enter his prime? Thanks for the bargain. The Bears now have more cap available than they thought they would.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

I honestly didn't read/see the match yet.

Know you already liked a couple posts so assuming you agree and understand now, but here's further agreement from Walter Football who is fairly reputable. I have no clue WTF he's talking about with the 'poison pill' since that was abolished in 2011, but otherwise his points are valid. Again, I feel Fuller is more a $10M per year player so this is a slight overpay, but given the guaranteed as pumpkin points out and the fact your 'franchise QB' is a non cap issue for 75% of the duration of this contract, it's a no brainer. I'd also rate it a B+ or A- given Fuller is only 26 and has room to improve given his team sucked for the early part of his career.

Bears re-sign CB Kyle Fuller (4 years, $56 million; $18 million guaranteed): B+ Grade
The Bears were heavily criticized for transition tagging Kyle Fuller. They could've franchised him, but went the cheaper route, allowing teams to offer him a contract. The Packers did this, and had they installed a poison pill in the deal, Chicago would've lost Fuller for no compensation. That didn't happen, so Fuller will be back with the Bears.

That's the good news. The bad news is that a $56 million contract seems like a lot for a player whose fifth-year option was declined last offseason. Fuller struggled earlier in his career, and he missed all of 2016 with a knee injury. However, he improved greatly this past season and finally lived up to his first-round billing.

Despite the $56 million overall in this deal, the Bears will only have to pay Fuller $18 million in guarantees, so this contract isn't as bad as the overall number makes it look. In summary, it's a good thing the Bears are keeping Fuller at a non-outrageous price, so I think this grade should be a "B."

Read more: 2018 NFL Free Agent Grades: WalterFootball.com

Read more at 2018 NFL Free Agent Grades: WalterFootball.com