Alshon Jeffery: 5 best fits in NFL free agency
By Brad Weiss
Alshon Jeffery has been a star since coming into the NFL, and as he enters free agency, we look at the five best fits for him in 2017.
The Chicago Bears made Alshon Jeffery the 45th overall selection during the 2012 NFL Draft. By May, the Bears had signed Jeffery to a four-year deal, making him the first 2012 NFL draft pick to sign a long-term deal. A star wideout from the University of South Carolina, Jeffery would make an instant impact in the NFL, making his only Pro Bowl in 2013.
During the 2013 and 2014 NFL seasons, Jeffery really flourished in Chicago, racking up over 1,000 yards receiving in each season. A hamstring injury would end his 2015 season early, and the Bears would use their franchise tag to lock him up for the 2016 campaign. While Jeffery did produce on the field, he was suspended for four games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy in November, though he did return before end of the season.
As Jeffery heads towards free agency prior to the 2017 NFL season, lets take a look at five possible destinations for one of the more explosive wideouts in the game.
Buffalo Bills
AFC, East
The Buffalo Bills have a brand new head coach, as the team said goodbye to Rex Ryan before the 2016 NFL regular season came to an end. Sean McDermott will be getting his first go-around as the main man in charge in Buffalo, and the expectation is that he will be able to erase the Bills long playoff drought. Buffalo has a couple of nice pieces in place going forward, but adding another quality wideout would go a long way in making them legitimate playoff contenders next season.
Sammy Watkins is one of the better young wide receivers in the NFL, but he has been bitten by the injury bug throughout his career. While the Bills have a quality running back in place, the uncertainty of whether or not Watkins will be available has proven to be costly to their young quarterbacks. Alshon Jeffery would give the Bills a true WR1 on the roster, and enable the team to slide Watkins over to the No. 2 slot, which would probably help him become a more reliable option on the outside.
Tyrod Taylor had a very good year under center, though there are plenty of questions as to whether or not he will be the answer at the quarterback position going forward. With LeSean McCoy in the backfield, the Bills have one of the best running backs in the AFC, but opposing defenses can stack the box due to the fact that the Bills passing game can be mediocre at best at times. Jeffery would change all that, and playing in Chicago during his NFL career has definitely prepared him for the cold winters up in Buffalo, New York.
Buffalo plays in a division that has been owned by the New England Patriots over the past 15 years, though we did see a fellow divisional team make the playoffs as a wild card this past season. The Bills may be able to replicate what the Miami Dolphins were able to do in 2016, and if they can add Jeffery, it would bring them one step close to achieving that lofty goal.