Packers Free Agency: Bears have planned to match any offer sheet for Kyle Fuller

The Green Bay Packers dropped another Friday afternoon bombshell on the NFL today, as news came out that the team had signed Chicago Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller to an offer sheet. Fuller, who received the transition tag from the Bears, was free to accept contract offers from other NFL teams, but the tag allows the Bears the option to match any offer sheets.

Following the news of the offer, additional follow-up information began to leak out. First, Ian Rapoport reported that another team had submitted an offer sheet to Fuller, but that he declined that proposal, instead preferring the one-year, $12.9 million that comes along with the transition tag.

Second, of more critical importance to the Packers, is a report that the Bears intend to match the Packers’ offer. Rapoport indicates that the Bears had planned to match any offer for Fuller, so with that in mind the Packers must be getting into some fascinating accounting in order to make it a difficult decision for Bears general manager Ryan Pace.

One thing working in the Bears’ favor is the fact that they have significantly more salary cap space in 2018 than the Packers do, according to Overthecap.com. Chicago is currently listed with about $56 million in space, even after accounting for Fuller’s transition tag, while the Packers have about $29 million before accounting for the Muhammad Wilkerson and Jimmy Graham deals. Once accounting for those contracts, the Packers will be down closer to $16 million or so.

Keep an eye on this situation throughout the weekend to see if the terms of the contract offer leak out or if the Bears do elect to match the Packers’ offer.