Well, well, well. As if Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst didn’t already put his stamp on the team in the first week of free agency, he just made another big move.
According to Brad Biggs, the Packers signed Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller to an offer sheet Friday.
#Packers have signed #Bears CB Kyle Fuller to an offer sheet. Chicago placed transition tag ($12.9067 million on Fuller). So things will get interesting in the NFC North as the rivals compete for the former first-round draft pick.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) March 16, 2018
Basically, what the “transition tag” means is that the Bears have the right to match any offer. Other teams can sign players on the transition tag to a contract, but then the Bears have the right to match that contract. Adam Schefter reports the Bears now have five days to match the Packers’ offer.
Bears now have five days to match offer sheet that free-agent CB Kyle Fuller signed with Packers.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 16, 2018
If the Bears choose not to match, then they’ll get nothing in return.
Fuller just finished his fourth season with the Bears. He was the No. 14 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, and had a career-high four interceptions as a rookie. Last season, the 26-year-old Fuller had 69 tackles and two picks.
Even if the Bears match and Fuller doesn’t become a Packer, this move could drive up his price tag on a new contract.
This is true. The #Bears have planned to match any offer and keep Fuller. The structure will be interesting. https://t.co/MPF4z1n3Wc
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 16, 2018
