Eagles place Alshon Jeffery on active/physically unable to perform list
The move was expected as Jeffery continues his recovery from a Lisfranc foot injury he suffered in December.
The Eagles placed wide receiver Alshon Jeffery on their active/physically unable to perform list Tuesday.
The move was expected as Jeffery continues his recovery from a Lisfranc foot injury he suffered last December against the New York Giants. The 30-year-old receiver can be activated to the roster any time before the season, but he isn’t expected to practice much when training camp practices start Aug. 17.
If Jeffery isn’t ready by the Eagles’ season opener Sept. 13, he will then likely be placed on the reserve/PUP list, which would save a spot on the 53-man roster. He would then have to sit out at least the first six weeks before he could return.
Jeffery has reported to the NovaCare Complex along with other injured players last week, but his status for the season remains in doubt. He had surgery shortly after his injury, and would be approximately nine months out — the standard timetable for recovery — by Week 1.
Eagles coach Doug Pederson was asked Monday about Jeffery’s status.
“I don’t put timetables on players, but when he’s ready, he’s ready, and he’ll be back out there on the field with us,” Pederson said. “So I’m excited with where he’s at.”
The Eagles have many question marks at receiver. DeSean Jackson missed most of last season with a core muscle injury and is 34 years old. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside struggled in his rookie season. The Eagles invested three drafts picks in the receiver position — first-rounder Jalen Reagor, fifth-rounder John Hightower and sixth-rounder Quez Watkins — but the lack of an offseason, shortened training camp and no preseason could affect their ability to contribute right away.
Marquis Goodwin, whom the Eagles traded for during the draft, also opted out of playing this season over concerns about the coronavirus. The Eagles were hoping the speedster could be a backup plan in case Jackson had a setback or Reagor wasn’t ready.
Jeffery was besieged by various injuries in 2019, but he clearly had lost a step. There were also indications that he was the anonymous source behind disparaging comments about the Eagles front office, the offense and quarterback Carson Wentz. Jeffery has denied he was the source of the quotes.
The Eagles would accrue a significant salary cap hit — over $15 million — if they were to trade or release Jeffery. It would difficult to move him and get much in return. A release might not make sense considering the uncertainty at receiver. Jeffery, for all the recent check marks against him, has been one of the more accomplished receivers in the NFL over the last decade.