Alshon Jeffery is reportedly on the trade block, and the next stop for the Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver could be in New York.
On Friday, Connor Hughes of The Athletic reported that Jeffery was looking for a “change of scenery” and talking with the Eagles about the possibility of a trade. The report indicated that both sides appeared on board with the idea, but the next step is finding a trade partner willing to take on the 30-year-old receiver. Jeffery is coming off a Lisfranc surgery in December, is likely to be out rehabbing through training camp, and comes with a $11.5 million guaranteed salary next year.
But as the report noted, the Jets may be willing to take the risk on Jeffery given that they are most likely losing one of the top wide receiver targets next year.
“It seems inevitable that wideout Robby Anderson signs elsewhere in free agency,” the report noted. “Assuming his price reaches the expected $13-$15 million annually, that is. Even with a projected $81 million (after veteran releases) in cap space, Jets general manager Joe Douglas can’t invest that much in a player who has never had a 1,000-yard season.”
As Yahoo! Sports noted, the breakup between Jeffery and the Eagles seemed to be in the making for some time. The report said that Jeffery was suspected to be the player who anonymously criticized quarterback Carson Wentz last year. In addition, the report from The Athletic noted that Wentz and Jeffery “never saw eye-to-eye and their relationship was testy.”
With the Eagles locked in with Wentz as quarterback and complications with injury and salary for Jeffery, it makes sense that the wide receiver go up on the trade block, Yahoo! Sports noted.
Where is the best fit for Alshon Jeffery? ? pic.twitter.com/p8P2GwQrgk
— theScore (@theScore) February 21, 2020
It remains unclear just what the Eagles would be asking in return for Jeffery, or if he is even on the trade block. Not long after the reports emerged that he was looking for a change in scenery, the wide receiver’s agent took to Twitter and appeared to refute the reports. Tory Dandy linked to one of the stories claiming that Jeffery was looking for a way out of Philadelphia and wrote that the 30-year-old receiver “loves being in the city of Philly and playing for the @Eagles!!!!”
If they don’t target Jeffery, the Jets could be in the market for another top receiver. The Inquisitr also reported that Odell Beckham Jr. sees the Jets as a strong destination if he were to be traded by the Cleveland Browns.