Philadelphia Eagles: Alshon Jeffery Warning Signs Already Appearing

The Philadelphia Eagles felt they got away with a steal when they signed Alshon Jeffery in free agency. A perfect new weapon for Carson Wentz.

People couldn’t understand why the Chicago Bears would let the former Pro Bowler go. It didn’t make any sense. Actually that’s not true. The Bears weren’t willing to pay Jeffery top receiver money. A big reason for that? Inconsistent availability. Jeffery has developed a bad habit over the course of his NFL career of getting injured, missing considerable time as a result.

He missed six games in 2012 with a broken finger, seven games in 2015 with various soft tissue ailments and four games in 2016 due to suspension. Nothing is more valuable in this game than reliability. For all his talent and upside, Jeffery has a history of not being there consistently for his team. Now it seems the Eagles are finding this out first hand.

Alshon Jeffery has a history of slow healing

It’s never easy to question the toughness of football players, but it’s also fair to say that Jeffery tends to take his time coming back from injuries. Shoulder ailments are even trickier. They can nag a player for months. This is not the welcome sign Eagles fans were hoping for. A lot is riding on Jeffery to be that #1 wide receiver for Wentz that he claims he already is.

Evidence suggests though that he hasn’t been the same since separating from Brandon Marshall back in 2015. Since then his productivity and health both took serious downturns. Is that just bad luck or a sign of decreased investment? It’s impossible to tell at this point. One thing that’s undeniable is Philadelphia is getting a first-hand tutorial of what life with Jeffery is like.

It’s unpredictable, it’s nerve-racking and based on recent history it’s going to end with disappointment.