There's some good news and some bad news about Alshon Jeffery.
First, the bad: According to a report Tuesday by ESPN's Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen, the Eagles will be without their top receiver for at least the first two weeks of the season.
The good: Jeffery will avoid being placed on the PUP list, which would have kept him out six weeks, and there's "optimism" he could be back for Week 3, per the report.
Seems about right.
Jeffery hasn't practiced all spring or summer after he had surgery for a torn rotator cuff. The surgery for the injury will now keep him out longer than the initial injury; Jeffery played through it all last season as the Eagles went on their Super Bowl run.
This report comes not long after a report from NFL Network said it was possible Jeffery would start the season on the Reserve/PUP. But that never really made sense. Jeffery has already been on the side field catching passes for a while now. He didn't seem in jeopardy of needing to miss the first six weeks just to save a roster spot.
The possibility of getting Jeffery back in Week 3 or Week 4 or even 5 or 6 is worth a roster spot on the 53.
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"Well, first of all, he's doing well in his rehab," head coach Doug Pederson said earlier Tuesday. "He's working well in his rehab. He's progressed up to about 75 throws per day and really doing a nice job with that. We're just going to continue to monitor that with him. We'll see where he's at next week and make a decision. Right now, he's progressing well and we'll just have to see. He's day by day."
Without Jeffery, the Eagles still have Mike Wallace and Nelson Agholor as their main receivers. After that, things are a little sketchy. Mack Hollins has missed recent practices with a "lower-body" injury. Meanwhile, Shelton Gibson has had a nice summer and might have earned some extra playing time.
Neither of them is Jeffery, though. The Eagles are going to have to get by without their best receiver for at least a couple weeks.
