Bears tagged Henry Melton

[housemd 338]

Bears assigned the franchise tag to DT Henry Melton.

 

This was expected all along, and CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora, as well as the Chicago Tribune, called it a "sure thing" earlier on Friday. The franchise tag carries a fully guaranteed $8.45 million price with it. Melton recorded six sacks in 2012, a year after racking up seven of them. Melton and the Bears are said to be "on opposite ends of the world" in long-term contract negotiations. They'll have until July 15 to try and hammer out a deal.

[Smell My Face 13]

Smart move. If he had hit the open market he would have been as good as gone.