Why the Bears used the transition tag on Kyle Fuller instead of the franchise tag

After having a solid comeback 2017 season, the Bears have decided to place the transition tag on cornerback Kyle Fuller, the team announced Tuesday.

Fuller can negotiate with other teams under the transition tag, but the Bears have the right of first refusal to match any offer sheet Fuller gets. Instead of the average of the top five salaries at the cornerback position that the franchise tag pulls, Fuller will be paid the average of the top 10 cornerback salaries in the league. For Fuller, that means a 2018 salary of $12.971 million instead of $14.975 million this season.

“Kyle is a player we value,” GM Ryan Pace said via the team’s Twitter account. “This allows us to continue to work together on a long-term deal.”

The Bears had a mostly forgettable 2017, going just 5-11 which included a quarterback change from Mike Glennon to Mitchell Trubisky. At the end of the season, John Fox was fired and replaced with Matt Nagy, who was previously offensive coordinator with the Chiefs.

But there was a bright spot: Chicago’s defense, which ranked in the top 10 in points and yards allowed. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will return in 2018, and now so will Fuller.

The franchise tag for cornerbacks is expected to be around $15 million, which is a nice upgrade for Fuller after making just more than $3 million in 2017.

Fuller showed promise in his first year back after having arthroscopic surgery on one of his knees in early August of 2016. He was placed on IR and missed the entire season because of the injury.

But 2017 was good for him, even if it wasn’t for the Bears. He needed it, after the team declined to exercise his fifth-year option. He played in all 16 games, getting two interceptions, 22 pass deflections, and 60 tackles.

His 2017 Pro Football Focus grade was an 84.3, putting him as the NFL’s No. 22 cornerback, with an “above average” standing. Now the Bears should be able to hold onto him, and they’ll save a little money compared to what they would have paid with the franchise tag.

While some speculated there might be hesitation to give Fuller a tag after his knee injury, GM Ryan Pace clearly figures he is worth at least one more season to see if he can become the player they believed him to be before his injury. Pace can also try to work out a long-term deal with Fuller, which would need to get done by the July 16 deadline.

The Bears selected Fuller 14th overall in the 2014 NFL draft, and his rookie season was an electric one. He had four interceptions, 10 pass deflections, three forced fumbles, and 64 tackles. His second season wasn’t nearly as productive, but he still led the team in interceptions for the second straight year.

But after his injury and missing the 2016 season, that outlook changed within the organization. Knee injuries are notorious for ruining careers, and at a position like cornerback, they’re especially difficult to come back from because of the moment required for the position.

However, with his 2017 season and the team’s lack of cornerback depth, Fuller has another chance at life with the Bears.