Lions get some bad news on Bears WR Alshon Jeffery

“He’s got a great background, he’s worked with people philosophically that I share ideas with offensively”, Fox said from the NFL Scouting Combine. “When the game’s on the line and it’s in the 4th quarter, you look at how close all of our games were and all of the games around the league and there’s certain players that step up at those moments”. “He’s a guy I’m very familiar with because of time competing against New Orleans when I was at Carolina in the NFC South”, Fox said.

“Team speed. Explosion. I think it’s just getting the right kind of guys there, but with a highlight on some athleticism and explosion”. He also said the franchise tag is “an option”, according to the team’s Twitter feed. “That’s an option. We have until Tuesday to make that decision so right now that is ongoing”, said Pace of Jeffery.

“I’ve heard that. I sense he wants to be here”.

“When we sign or draft a player and we are able to describe and say, ‘OK, these are his skill sets, ‘ it’s him saying, ‘OK, well this is the role I can put him in and this is how I can maximize his skill sets'”.

With last year’s first-round draft choice and receiver Kevin White likely to return after missing all of last season, Chicago could view Jeffery has expendable and use the cap savings to retain several top defenders already on the roster and to lure budding free agents to the Windy City. “I saw way more about his mental toughness, I saw way more about how he can control an offense and execute it under pressure”.

As for Fox’s overall message, he’s right: Putting aside his longevity, production and popularity, parting ways with Forte was the prudent move because, in general, cheap young running backs are easy to come by. Jeffery, 25, is the Bears’ most dynamic player with Matt Forte leaving.

The 2016 NFL Scouting Combine will take place in Indianapolis later this week, and with all 32 teams eagerly waiting to see what this year’s top prospects are capable of, mock draft season is in full swing. With Bennett’s situation in flux and this draft considered short on tight-end talent, Rosenhaus is in position to play hardball with the Bears.

“We’re actively and aggressively negotiating right now”, Pace said, via ESPN. “Something that sticks out for me, I enjoy watching him run, even looking at some cut-ups recently, there were a few of those, a couple in St. Louis that I recall”. Really with him, he’s under contract. Bennett remains under contract for 2016 and, right now, the organization is directing all its focus toward free agency and the draft. I think that is part of the reason we were early and honest.