Getting Alshon Jeffery back will be huge for Eagles offense

Philadelphia Eagles wideout Alshon Jeffery is not having a great year by any means, but his presence on the field helps his offense tremendously.

It’s fair to say that Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery has dealt with his fair share of adversity this season. He’s been inconsistent catching the ball, he was accused of being the anonymous source who bad-mouthed the Eagles’ offense to ESPN’s Josina Anderson and he’s struggled to stay on the field. By his standards, Jeffery is having an off-year, and that’s putting things mildly.

He’s having his worst statistical season since his rookie campaign, but when you take a deeper dive into the stats, you’ll find out just how much his presence on the field helps Carson Wentz and the Eagles offense.

The Eagles have lost every game Jeffery has missed this season, including the Week 2 contest against the Atlanta Falcons where he left after playing six snaps. They dropped the Detroit Lions game the following week, and they’ve fallen short the past two weeks as well, losing to the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, all with Jeffery on the sideline.

The Eagles offense has also had more success when Jeffery’s been split out wide. With him on the field, Doug Pederson’s offense averages about 40 more total yards per game. They’re also more efficient when Jeffery’s healthy, averaging one less drop per contest and a little over a 45-percent third-down conversion average as compared to it being an almost 39-percent average when he’s been sidelined.

Carson Wentz, who has struggled immensely since the bye week, could sorely use Jeffery back in the starting lineup. In the four games that Wentz has been without his number one wideout, he’s thrown five touchdowns and four interceptions. With Jeffery in the lineup, he’s thrown 12 touchdowns as opposed to just two interceptions.

Wentz and Jeffery’s relationship has been a topic of speculation all season, but it’s undeniable how much better Wentz plays when he has Jeffery at his disposal.

Fans and pundits have suggested numerous times throughout the season that Jeffery should be cut or traded once the season wraps. It’s hard to argue with anyone on that, especially if he continues to struggle, but if he can help his offense down the stretch and is able to put together some solid performances in these final five games en route to a playoff berth, that kind of talk will surely damper down within the fanbase. We’ll have to stay tuned to see if Jeffery can step up to the challenge.