Chicago Bears fill needs, re-sign Bryce Callahan
The Chicago Bears have officially agreed to terms with cornerback Bryce Callahan
It took a long offseason of waiting, but the Chicago Bears finally announced that Bryce Callahan had signed his tender.
We have officially signed DB Bryce Callahan to his restricted free agent tender. pic.twitter.com/K6EBcmb4Ls
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) April 17, 2018
Callahan was in the same situation as Cameron Meredith. The team could have put a second round tender on Callahan, for one-million more on the salary cap, which would require a team to trade a second round pick for Callahan. However, with the tender placed on Callahan and Meredith, both were free to seek a deal elsewhere, with the catch being the Chicago Bears had five days to match that offer.
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In the Meredith situation, another team gave him an offer, essentially calling the Bears bluff, and they folded. In this situation, the Bears came away big winners.
Callahan is likely to start this season in Chicago in the slot, and was strong in the slot in 2017 for the team. The Bears should not necessarily be shopping to replace him. Now that he tested the market and came back to Chicago, the team will get him at a replacement level salary for next season.
Callahan may enter a situation where the Bears offer him an extension in camp and having seen the market, he would be further enticed to accept. No matter the case, the Bears paying such a value for him combined with his non-existent free agent market should have Callahan motivated for a strong 2018 season.
The Bears have been eyeing cornerbacks, and Denzel Ward has made headlines in Chicago. However, at this point, it is getting tough to rationalize drafting a corner, at least early. Callahan was better than some think and if the team does not draft a corner, expect extension talks to start up.