Philadelphia Eagles: Arguments for keeping Alshon Jeffery in 2020

1. Are we one-hundred percent certain he spoke to Josina Anderson?

Let’s be honest. We don’t know if Jeffery was the source Josina Anderson got all of that info from. Most feel as though they’re pretty certain, but no one’s sure. Both Anderson and Jeffery have denied that he was the source.

Anyone claiming otherwise is listening to Howard Eskin, a long-time fixture in the Philly sports scene, or listening to rumors. For those that are lost, let’s revisit.

Anderson’s story reported a few unsavory details about Wentz and the way he is perceived in the locker room by teammates. It also made some damaging comments about the Eagles organization.

Now, just for argument’s sake, let’s assume that Jeffery is the source of the comments. Sure, the story could have damaged the team’s image, but other than that, what harm did it do? He didn’t leak any team secrets or the playbook.

Coaches and general managers leak information to the media all the time, and they do so in an attempt to influence free agents, manipulate their employers or redirect public frustrations away from themselves.

Wentz and Jeffery don’t seem to be at odds. Philly’s franchise quarterback has said nothing but positive things about Jeffery when talking to the media. He even took time to dig into Anderson’s comments and accept some responsibility for some of his shortcomings during an interview. Here’s a quote.

"It hasn’t been the easiest last year for me on the physical level, just battling the injuries, so I realize like I maybe wasn’t the greatest teammate at times because I was emotionally kind of all over the place. To the outside world, I probably didn’t show it much, but internally, I mean, you’re definitely fighting some sort of emotions. So, there’s things to learn just about how to handle myself in certain situations."

Jeffery may or may not have been the source of this story, but Wentz used the situation, learned from it, and admittedly became a better teammate. He never became angry or resentful. He instead used the incident to help himself grow as a person and as a leader in the locker room. Maybe the leak intended to have Wentz reevaluate his leadership style. If that was indeed the plan, it seems to have worked.