Here Is How Much Jay Cutler Missed Alshon Jeffery In 2015
By Erik Lambert
Jay Cutler was better (or at least more efficient) than he’s ever been in 2015. Problem is people don’t realize how much more he could’ve done.
It really is surprising that people are so quick to offer their belief that the Chicago Bears will be okay if they summarily dismiss wide receiver Alshon Jeffery to free agency next year as if he were just another receiver. Listen, the NFL is a business and that’s obvious. Contract disagreements happen all the time and GM Ryan Pace is well within his right to stand firm on a price he believes Jeffery is worth. The running thought is the Bears aren’t ready to proclaim him a top five receiver just yet, especially given his recent bout of injury problems.
That is fine. However, the underlying thought from some people that this offense can be just fine without him is not paying close enough attention to the numbers. First of all, Jeffery is a Pro Bowler who had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2013 and 2014. One of just three receivers drafted by the Bears to accomplish that feat since 1990.
It’s not just his production though that holds vital importance. It’s the additional impact he has on Cutler. The following is a breakdown of the 2015 season into two sections. The first section details how the quarterback performed when Jeffery was not on the field due to injuries while the other shows the difference in games where he was.
Cutler Without Jeffery
- 239.8 yards per game
- 1.33 touchdowns per game
- 1 interception per game
- 93.6 overall rating
Cutler With Jeffery
- 260 yards per game
- 1.44 touchdowns per game
- 0.55 interceptions per game
- 96.4 overall rating
There really is no arguing that. One number may lie by not several. Cutler simply played better when Alshon was available. His yardage, touchdowns and quarterback rating were all higher and his interception frequency was down by almost half. This would explain why Jeffery ranked among the most targeted wide receivers in the NFL according to ESPN.
"“3. Alshon Jeffery (31.9 percent) — He was sidelined by injuries and played in only nine games for the Chicago Bears last season. But when Jeffery was on the field, he was targeted once per every 2.9 routes, the highest rate of any pass-catcher in the past three seasons. Jeffery is slated to play under the franchise tag if the two sides can’t reach a long-term extension, but either way, he figures to get plenty of looks from Jay Cutler.”"
It’s just further proof that a quarterback is only so good as the weapons around him. Try to imagine if Jim McMahon had somebody like Jeffery back in the 1980s. Exactly. He’s a legitimate threat on the football field who forces defenses to account for where he is at all times. This is why it’s so scary to think that Kevin White might be as good or even better.