Eagles “making a strong push” to sign Alshon Jeffery, per report

Is it happening?!

According to a report from the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Eagles are making a “strong push” to sign Alshon Jeffery:

This news comes hot on the heels of the team’s three-year, $15 million deal with wideout Torrey Smith, the team’s first wide receiver addition of the offseason.

The Colts also pushing for Jeffery’s services, which is interesting, and could end up driving Jeffery’s price up. Andrew Luck is a proven quarterback commodity, which could be attractive to Jeffery, who would likely want to compete now rather than later.

The question with Jeffery is how much the Eagles would have to pay to snag him. Initial reports weeks ago indicated he could make up to $15 million per year, but the numbers have tumbled since.

This report came just this morning, from a well-sourced Bears reporter:

It’s always hard to get a grip on the abundance of rumors around this time, with agents vying for leverage and stepping stones while negotiating deals from multiple teams.

Here’s what I think: the Bears probably want to keep Jeffery. They’re going to sign Mike Glennon to play quarterback, and when that happens, they’ll want Glennon to have weapons. It’s hard to match Jeffery’s skill level as a WR1, and if they truly want Glennon to succeed, they’ll push to keep Jeffery in Chicago.

What these rumors also seem to indicate is that the Eagles’ pursuit of Brandin Cooks might be slowing to a halt. The Saints are reportedly asking for a wild return, and with Smith in tow and Jeffery being pushed for, it’s possible the Cooks chase is cooling off.

We’ll see what happens!