Philadelphia Eagles preseason notes: Updates on Alshon Jeffery and Jay Ajayi

The Philadelphia Eagles’ first regular season game is rapidly approaching, and so far, there’s been no real word on how much Alshon Jeffery and Jay Ajayi will be able to contribute.

It won’t be long now. Soon, the final whistle will blow on the Philadelphia Eagles‘ final game of the preseason, and once the New York Jets make their exit from Lincoln Financial Field, the focus will shift to welcoming the Atlanta Falcons. The question is simple. Will Alshon Jeffery and Jay Ajayi be ready for that one?

On Tuesday, Eagles head coach Doug Pederson met with the Philly media, and it wasn’t even five minutes before both of their names entered the conversation.

Alshon Jeffery has not practiced yet. You have four practices left before Week 1. Is it realistic to expect him (to be) on the field against the (Atlanta) Falcons at this point?

The words came from Pederson’s right. His response was just about as generic as you’d expect:

"Well, first of all, he’s doing well, you know, on his rehab. He’s working every day. He’s progressed up to about 75 throws a day and really doing a nice job with that. We’re going to continue to monitor him, and we’ll see where he’s at next week and make a decision. But, right now, he’s progressing well. We’ve just got to see. He’s day by day."

A question about Jay Ajayi came next:

How is Jay Ajayi doing? We haven’t seen him at practice for a little while.

Here’s Doug’s response… There’s still nothing definitive to pull out of this one:

"He’s doing well. He’s, again, just (getting) rest. He’s just got a little lower body (injury) that we’re trying to get him (recovered from and get him) ready for the regular season."

Let’s figure some things out.

From that, you could probably gather that the top player on the depth chart at three of your skill positions might be absent when the Eagles drop the Super Bowl banner on September 6th, Jeffery (wide receiver), Ajayi (running back) and, of course the owner of the most famous ACL and LCL in Eagles history, Carson Wentz.

Later, we learned that Jeffery will, indeed, miss the first two games of the regular season, but Philly will activate him over the weekend, moving him from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list to the 53-man roster on Saturday, in hopes that he’ll be ready for Week 3.

Despite playing the entire 2017 regular season and playoff slate with a torn rotator cuff, Jeffery appeared in and started all 16 regular season games and all three games of the postseason.

He produced a grand total of 69 receptions (12 in the playoffs), 1,008 yards (219 in the playoffs) and 12 touchdowns (three in the final two games versus the Minnesota Vikings and the New England Patriots).

Jay Ajayi was added via trade prior to Week 9, and racked up 112 totes (42 in the playoffs) and 592 yards (184 in the playoffs) to go along with 16 receptions (six in the postseason) for 161 yards (70 of those came in the playoffs).

Ajayi finished the 2017-18 campaign with two total touchdowns, a number that’s almost certain to increase in the coming season. Both figure to see increased roles in their second seasons in Philly.

First thing’s first though. We have to get them on the field.