49ers, Titans & Eagles Potential Suitors For WR Alshon Jeffery Along With Bears

March 2, 2017

Josina Anderson reports that the 49ers, Titans, and Eagles will be “potential suitors” for free agent WR Alshon Jeffery in the coming weeks. Anderson adds that the Bears will also be in the mix for Jeffery.

For what it’s worth, Mike Garafolo believes the 49ers are the early favorites for Jeffery.
According to Alden Gonzalez of ESPN, the Rams aren’t expected to be a serious option for Jeffery once free agency in under way next week.

Jeffery tells Anderson that he doesn’t have any hard feeling for the Bears, but he’s looking forward to his next chapter.

“I don’t have any hard feeling towards the Bears; it’s all love,” Jeffery said. “Whatever the next chapter is, I’m ready for it. I’m looking at the teams that obviously need a wide receiver, but also put me in the best situation to win a championship right now….I also want to see what other free agents may be attracted to the same teams I’ll be looking at, that can help that goal.”

Chicago elected to not sure their franchise tag on Jeffery before yesterday’s deadline, which would have cost Chicago over $17 million fully guaranteed for the 2017 season.

Jeffery has been linked to the Eagles and Titans in recent days and the 49ers also have an obvious need at the position, so this shouldn’t come as a big surprise.

It will be interesting to see what Jeffery is able to secure in terms of salary on the open market. He was reportedly targeting $14 million per year last year, but he could now be in position to top that and secure around $15 million annually.

Jeffery, 26, was taken in the second-round of the 2012 NFL draft by the Bears. He played out the final year of his four-year, $4.54 million rookie contract that included a $1.74 million signing bonus before receiving the team’s franchise tag.

In 2016, Jeffery appeared in 12 games and caught 52 passes for 821 yards receiving and two touchdowns for the Bears. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 33 receiver out of 115 qualifying players.

We have him featured in our Top 100 – 2017 Free Agents list.