Chicago Bears: Alshon Jeffery's Strong Preseason Play Could Push Him up Depth Chart

By Bear Heiser
Senior Writer

Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery exceeded all expectations in training camp, not to mention that he’s been one of the Bears best players so far in the preseason.

Jeffery was the Bears second round pick in April’s draft, though, he was expected to be drafted much higher. Historically, the Bears are not a team that likes to take chances in the draft or in free agency, but management clearly saw something in Jeffery that allowed them the clarity needed to pull the trigger.

Top cornerback Charles Tillman and wide receivers coach Darryl Drake have raved about Jeffery’s development. A veteran like Tillman and a hard-nosed coach like Drake don’t usually shower rookies with praise, so you know Jeffery must be doing something right.

Related: Jay Cutler to Brandon Marshall Will Determine How Far This Team Can Go

Through two preseason games, Jeffery has continued to make a name for himself. Against the Broncos in Week 1, Jeffery caught four passes for 35 yards on five targets. Then, Friday night, Jeffery continued his strong play by catching all three of his targets for 62 yards.

Jeffery is currently listed as the Bears fourth receiver, but there’s still plenty of time for him to move his way up before Week 1 of the regular season. Aside from Brandon Marshall, no spot is safe. Devin Hester had a very impressive camp, making it unlikely that Jeffery could end up being the Bears’ second go-to behind Marshall. Seeing Jeffery as the Bears No. 3 is a more realistic prognostication.

Jeffery, like Marshall, is the kind of receiver who can play any of the three positions on the field. His 6’3″, 216-pound frame is big enough to play the X, strong enough to play the Y and fast enough to play the Z. And there’s no doubt Jay Cutler would love to have another big target on the field in crunch time.