5 wide receivers who are making way too much money

CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 08: Wide receiver Odell Beckham #13 of the Cleveland Browns runs down field during the second half against the Cincinnati Bengals at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 08, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Browns defeated the Bengals 27-19. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

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PHILADELPHIA, PA – OCTOBER 06: Alshon Jeffery #17 of the Philadelphia Eagles reacts after the game against the New York Jets at Lincoln Financial Field on October 6, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

3. Alshon Jeffery

No. 1 wide receivers in the NFL need to be durable to help their offenses establish continuity. Jeffery has missed nine regular season games in his last two seasons. Even more concerning is the fact that six of those came during his 2019 campaign.

It’s possible that the big-bodied wideout will enjoy improved health in 2020, but given the fact that he’s just entering his 30s it’s much more likely he’ll experience more trouble with his body. That makes paying him $13 million a bad bet for the Eagles.

The idea of Jeffery is certainly appealing to a big-armed quarterback like Carson Wentz. In his prime, Jeffery could go down the field and win jump balls against elite cornerbacks. Lately, his loss of speed has made it even more difficult for him to generate the sort of separation needed to win those 50/50 balls.

The Eagles are hoping that Jeffery will enjoy a bounce back campaign, but that’s more of a wish than a plan. The more likely outcome is that this will be his last season in Philadelphia. That’s bad news for a player that would like to strike one more big deal in free agency.

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