When Alshon Jeffery left Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings with hamstring tightness, the problem did not enhance the Bears’ offensive situation in the short term.
“It’s definitely not ‘inflating,’" quarterback Jay Cutler said as to how deflating the loss of Jeffery was. It only adds to questions about what the Bears will feel comfortable doing with Jeffery when his contract expires after this season.
Jeffery’s availability has been a near-weekly issue going back to a calf injury in preseason and continuing into the season with hamstring, groin and shoulder injuries. Whether the fourth-year receiver is able to practice this week or play next Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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“We’ll evaluate him,” said coach John Fox. “He got treatment today, I’m sure will get treatment tomorrow and we’ll evaluate him and see what his availability is Wednesday.”
But the bigger question for a team just eliminated from playoff possibilities is how Jeffery’s recent injury history factors into the risk involved in a franchise tag, long-term contract or risking seeing Jeffery reach open free agency.
A franchise tag placed on a wide receiver in the 2015 season committed his team to $12.8 million guaranteed for one season. That show-me option appears at this point more likely than multi-year contract with its typically massive guaranteed money. The five-year pact the Dallas Cowboys gave Dez Bryant last July included $45 million guaranteed.
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“We’re evaluating everything all the time whether it’s injuries, whether it’s execution, whether it’s starting fast, starting slow,” Fox said. “There’s really not much that we don’t look into. It’s a very analytical type of game, so it’s no different with injuries, we look at everything from how we stretch to how we warm up. You name it, we look at it.”
Linebacker Shea McClellin, also coming out of his rookie contract after this season, came out of the Minnesota game with concussion symptoms and has been placed in the NFL's concussion protocol for this week.