Robbie Gould will all but certainly not return to Chicago, with the San Francisco 49ers deciding to place the franchise tag on the longtime kicker, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The move, which was expected, will keep Gould in San Francisco for a little over $5.1 million, per OverTheCap's franchise tag projections. Technically, the Bears could still work out a trade to acquire Gould, but that would likely cost more than with which Ryan Pace is willing to part. The 49ers are flush with cap space and, with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo returning from a torn ACL this year, retaining a reilable kicker is a smart move for a team with playoff aspirations.