It was clear over the past few months or so that Alshon Jeffery likely wasn’t coming back to the Philadelphia Eagles. After this latest report, that belief is becoming more and more apparent.
According to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, a “prominent player on offense” confronted Jeffery last year about him being the alleged ESPN source that criticized quarterback Carson Wentz and the Eagles. It’s noted that the two had to be separated in this confrontation and while it wasn’t proven Jeffery was the source, many on the team believed he was.
McLane noted that Wentz “doesn’t necessarily have any problem with Jeffery” and on the surface that can make some sense. Every team has friction and teammates don’t have to like each other in order to work well together. A quarterback and his receiver doesn’t really need to go out for a beer as long as both know they got a job to do and they do that job.
This doesn’t prove Jeffery talked to ESPN but there is evidence that he’s at least been friendly with the “Worldwide Leader” in the past. Three years ago, Jeffery denied talking to Adam Schefter when Schefter told a story about Jeffery contacting the NFL insider about how much other free agent receivers were getting paid. Despite Jeffery denying that ever happened, he appeared on Schefter’s podcast two days before ESPN’s Josina Anderson reported Jeffery signed with the Eagles. And to connect this with the confrontation story, Anderson was the reporter who got the anonymous quotes from the Eagles player.
So while no one can really prove Alshon Jeffery spoke to ESPN, many believe he did and are connecting the dots. And because of that, the Eagles seem willing to take the $26 million cap hit and let him go.
