Ian Rapoport reported last week the Bears are open to not bringing back Alshon Jeffery in 2016. Here are some thoughts.

• I’ve never believed the theory that the Bears selected Kevin White in the 2015 draft because of a best player available philosophy. I believe they selected White because they envision him as a dynamic, game-changing, number one wide receiver. By the same token they don’t view Jeffery that way. Does Jeffery have that potential? Absolutely. But is he among the game’s best at the position? No.
• Leaking this news to RapSheet serves a particular purpose for the Bears. They have now let people in Jeffery’s camp know they are comfortable with him walking out the door. It’s very clear the Bears don’t intend to break the bank for Jeffery so they are trying to convince him to take a team friendly, long-term deal.
• The Bears have a ton of cap space. Not sticking Jeffery with the franchise tag makes zero sense if they believe he’s part of their future.
• If Ryan Pace decides to move on from Jeffery, he better be sure. Letting a terrific player leave your organization in his prime, especially if he succeeds elsewhere, is not something fans let a GM forget.