The two-year deal is worth $9.6 million, includes incentives that could take it to a maximum value of $12.6 million and has $5.4 million in guarantees.
...It’s worth wondering if the Bears distinguished between the second-round tender at $2.9 million and the no-compensation tender at $1.9 million because of the knee. If they wouldn’t go to $2.9 million with their tender offer, why would they match a deal with $5.4 million in guarantees over two years?
It’s one thing to match the offer sheet your No. 1 cornerback Fuller signed. It’s another thing when the decision involves either your second or third wide receiver who posted 66 catches for 888 yards and four touchdowns two years ago. Remember, the Bears signed Gabriel to a four-year, $26 million contract with $14 million guaranteed. They quickly have become one of the biggest spenders at the position in the league. Without Meredith, the Bears rank fourth in 2018 cap dollars committed to wide receivers, according to spotrac.com. They rank third in annual average salary for wide receivers. Those figures would bump up if they match the offer sheet.
Consider the Bears are fourth in cap dollars committed to tight ends, according to spotrac.com, and second in annual average salary for that position and you can see the team has put major resources into skill-position players for quarterback Mitch Trubisky.