Is there a chance we’ll see Alshon Jeffery playing football soon?
Doug Pederson sounded more optimistic than he has been in recent weeks when asked Wednesday morning about the veteran wide receiver’s progress.
Jeffery suffered a Lisfranc foot sprain last year in the first Giants game, underwent surgery and has been sidelined since.
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It’s been 8 1/2 months since his surgery.
“He’s working extremely hard, he’s doing his on-land running, we’ve increased that,” Pederson said. “He’s looking really good, he’s feeling really good, and we’re hoping to get him out there soon with the team at some point here in the near future.”
Hey, “soon” is something.
It's just difficult to know exactly what it means.
NFL
Jeffery, 30, was limited to 10 games last year because of injuries - a calf injury early in the season and then the foot. He caught just 43 passes for 490 yards - his worst numbers since his rookie year of 2012 in Chicago.
He did have 9-for-137 and a touchdown in the loss to the Dolphins in his last full game last season. It was only his second 100-yard game in four years as an Eagle.
Jeffery is currently on the PUP list. If the Eagles don't activate him by Sept. 5, he would have to miss at least the first six weeks of the regular season.
Pederson declined to speculate on whether there’s still a chance Jeffery would start the season on PUP.
“I won’t get into those decisions right now, but I’ve been impressed with his workout, with his treatment, with his rehab, and we’ll see here in the next couple weeks,” he said. “But obviously not going to put a timetable on him or make any decisions at this time.”
In his five years with the Bears, Jeffery averaged 72 yards per game, 14th-most in the NFL.
In his three years with the Eagles, he’s averaged 54 yards per game, 44th-most in the NFL.
Jeffery has earned $35.65 million as an Eagle and is due $9.91 million this year.
With an average annual salary of $13 million per year, Jeffery is the 15th-highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL.
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