Alshon Jeffery has just been suspended for the next four games after he violated the NFL’s policy on performance enhancing drugs. The Chicago Bears will be without him for the next month. The timing in this situation could not be worse. The Bears sit at 2-7 right now and even though their next four opponents aren’t the best in the NFL, losing a feature back in a contract year isn’t good for the Bears or Jeffery.
Alshon Jeffery Suspended Four Games
So far this season, Alshon Jeffery has 40 receptions for 630 yards and one touchdown (the touchdown was against division foe Minnesota Vikings). Those numbers are okay but Jeffery becomes a free agent after this season and he could use the games he’ll be missing to make his case to get another contract extension. The Bears decided to give Alshon Jeffery a franchise tag last off-season after amassing 54 receptions for 807 yards with four touchdowns. At this point Jeffery is on pace to beat his production from last season but that will be harder now.
Per ESPN insider Adam Schefter, Jeffery will be allowed to return to team activities with the Bears on December 12th. This will be the day after the Bears play division foe Detroit Lions and just ahead of a match up against rival Green Bay Packers. Even though the Bears are not likely a playoff team this year, it will be important that Jeffery hits the ground running when he returns. The Packers are not as strong as usual this year and it would help if Jay Cutler could rely on his feature wide out in a game that’s at least important to the fans and Jeffery’s wallet.
Alshon Jeffery will be forfeiting roughly $3.4 million over the games that he is missing. He will only have three games left in the season to make the case for a decent contract extension. What’s done is done, but Jeffery must turn things around for himself and his team.
