Chicago Bears put transition tag on DB Kyle Fuller

The Chicago Bears placed the transition tag on cornerback Kyle Fuller, the team announced Tuesday. Meaning the Raiders will have to look elsewhere to upgrade their beleaguered secondary this offseason.

Due to the Bears' very manageable salary cap situation, Chicago will have the ability to match any offer that Fuller would receive.

The transition tag will pay Fuller $12.971 million for the 2018 season, as opposed to the $14.975 million he would have received under the franchise tag. His 22 pass breakups were tied for second in the National Football League, including six in Week 16, the most by any player in one game in 2017. Now the Bears should be able to hold onto him, and they'll save a little money compared to what they would have paid with the franchise tag.

Barring an offer from another team, Chicago have plenty of time to reach a long-term deal with Fuller, whom they drafted 14th overall in 2014. This year, Fuller had 22 passes defended for the Bears and grew into the sort of lockdown role on the outside that the Bears pictured when they invested such a high pick.

He is the third of four brothers to play in the NFL.

"Kyle is a player we value", said general manager Ryan Pace. This isn't a surprise because it creates a hard situation to get a long-term deal done and, well, that's probably too rich for Fuller.

The only other corners on the current roster are Marcus Cooper and Cre'Von LeBlanc.

Fuller, 26, was set to become an unrestricted free agent before the Bears made the move. He started 30 games in his first two seasons out of Virginia Tech and had six interceptions and 129 tackles.