Chicago Bears pending free agents: Who should return?
Alshon Jeffery — Wide Receiver
This is what may be the biggest, toughest decision for Pace and company.
Jeffery is a dynamic player. He makes catches that other players just wish they could make. He is the Chicago Bears’ biggest (only) downfield threat on the receivers corps. Signing him should be a no-brainer, right?
Well…
The problem with Jeffery is his knack for getting injured as well as his knack for taking a long time coming back from injuries.
In 2015, Jeffery played in just nine games. He still managed to amass 807 yards on 54 catches and four touchdowns. Since 2013, he has 3,361 yards, which ranks him ninth in the NFL.
“Obviously when Alshon played he was explosive and a playmaker for our offense,” Pace said. “The previous two seasons he’d been healthy and highly productive. He was frustrated by his injuries. We were frustrated by his injuries. We got to get a better grasp of that. Part of the evaluation of a player is his injuries and his availability. We’ll take that into account.”
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The Chicago Bears need to keep Jeffery on the roster. If Kevin White can come back from his leg injury, the team could have a very good one-two punch. Add a receiver from the draft, and the Bears could have three young, athletic receiving targets for Jay Cutler.
The Bears could slap the franchise tag on Jeffery and continue to work on a long-term deal.
That option looks more and more a likely event. It gives both parties a chance to negotiate without having a short-time deadline. They could take some time and get a deal that is a win-win for both parties.
Next: Danny Trevathan Expects To Talk To The Chicago Bears
I think we can expect Alshon Jeffery back with the Chicago Bears in 2016. The real question is whether he will still be in Chicago after that.