Philadelphia Eagles: Alshon Jeffery Takes Offense To Next Level
By Jeremy Klump
The Philadelphia Eagles signed free agent wide receiver Alshon Jeffery. The former Chicago Bear will take the Eagles offense to the next level.
The Philadelphia fans (and probably quarterback Carson Wentz) have been asking the Eagles to get a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver. Well, after signing former Chicago Bears and current free agent wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, the Eagles have delivered.
Accoring to Josina Anderson of ESPN, the Eagles and Jeffrey agreed to a one-year, $14 million deal. Jeffery leaving Chicago for Philadelphia will be an adjustment, but it is an adjustment that will be big for both sides. Jay Cutler is a formidable quarterback, but Jeffery will now get to catch passes from the 2016 No. 2 overall pick, Wentz. And on the flip side, Wentz will finally have a No. 1 wide receiver to throw the ball to.
The move made sense from a team building standpoint, but the hardest aspect of this working was the money. Philadelphia was tight on the cap, but as he has done in the past, Howie Roseman worked his magic and got it done.
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Jeffery immediately elevates the entire Eagles offense. Opposing defenses will need to game plan for him and it will also allow the other Eagles wideouts easier opportunities. They also signed former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Torrey Smith, and Smith will help the vertical passing game.
At times, Wentz played with poor confidence and it showed in his delivery. That poor confidence was a direct reflection to his lack of weapons or someone he could trust. However, with Jeffery coming to town, Wentz now has a guy that he can trust.
Jeffery is a player that you can throw a 50-50 ball to, but for him, it is more 70-30. He stands at 6-3 and weighs in at 218 pounds. The biggest knock of the former Bears wide receiver is that he hasn’t been able to stay healthy, but the last time he played a full 16-game season, he was dominant. Jeffery caught 85 passes for 1,133 yards and 10 scores in those 16 games.
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In 2016, Jeffery only played 12 games. In those 12 games, he caught 52 passes for 821 yards and only two scores. He will look to get back on track with his fresh start in Philadelphia. The Eagles will look to take their offense to another level now that they have Jeffery, and the new Eagles No. 1 receiver will take them there (wherever there is). This is a great move for the Eagles and their offense.