Alshon Jeffery Injury: Updates on Bears Star’s Hamstring and Return
Published by Scott Polacek on August 4, 2016
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery suffered a hamstring injury on Aug. 4 and has been sidelined since. It’s unclear when he’ll return to the field.
Continue for updates.
Latest on Jeffery’s Playing Status
Tuesday, Aug. 9
Jeffery said his status is still undetermined for the Bears’ first preseason game against the Denver Broncos on Thursday, per Adam Hoge of WGN Radio.
Latest on Jeffery’s Practice Status
Monday, Aug. 8
Jeff Dickerson of ESPN reported Jeffery is doing “side work” at Monday’s session, and the Bears are “easing him back in.” Bob LeGere of the Daily Herald reported Jeffery was “very limited” in his side work and wasn’t even “running routes against air.”
Injury-Prone Jeffery Key Talent for Bears Offense
Durability is now something of a concern for Jeffery after he only appeared in nine games last year. He did play all 16 contests in 2013 and 2014, but this is another physical setback for the playmaker.
When healthy, Jeffery is one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the league as a 6’3” pass-catcher who can high-point balls in the end zone and get by cornerbacks in press coverage with quickness and burst. He is Jay Cutler’s most reliable weapon, and the Bears figured to lean on him even more in 2016 after running back Matt Forte signed with New York Jets in the offseason.
Jeffery posted 1,421 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches in 2013, 1,133 receiving yards and 10 touchdown catches in 2014 and 807 receiving yards and four touchdown catches in limited action in 2015.
The Bears will look elsewhere while Jeffery heals, and Kevin White could assume his role as the No. 1 receiver. Chicago drafted White with the seventh-overall pick in 2015, but he missed his entire rookie season because of a stress fracture in his shin. He will now get the chance to live up to the expectations that surrounded him coming out of West Virginia.
Elsewhere, veteran Eddie Royal will likely see more targets after finishing the 2015 campaign with 238 receiving yards in nine games.
Chicago can also turn to a rushing attack that features Jeremy Langford, Jordan Howard and Ka’Deem Carey, but it needs Jeffery back and healthy if it wants to compete with the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North.
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