2. Alshon Jeffery
Maximum value: $14.5 million
Many anticipated Chicago using the franchise tag for the second straight year on Jeffery, but Jeffery landed in Philadelphia on a prove-it deal with $9 million in base salary and another $4.5 million tied to incentives.
When it comes to the average annual value of contracts for top-shelf wide receivers, the starting point has become $14 million. Dez Bryant, A.J. Green andDemaryius Thomas are among the players right around that number. So Jeffery gets a deal close to the league’s best receivers, while the Eagles don’t have to commit past the 2017 season — yet.
Jeffery gives Philly its best offensive playmaker and plenty of reasons for him to want to have his best season — he could cash in next offseason. When healthy, the talent is apparent, but he has missed 11 games over the past two seasons.
7. LeGarrette Blount (above)
Maximum value: $2.8 million
Blount’s free agency didn’t go as expected, as interest in him was virtually nonexistent following a season in which he led the league with 18 rushing touchdowns. He wasn’t the only running back who had to settle for a lesser deal, however. Blount eventually found a logical landing spot in Philadelphia, where he has a chance to repeat his 2016 success.
In Blount, an otherwise thin backfield found the player it can count on for goal-line, short-yardage and early-down work. He has second-level acceleration, and defenders don’t enjoy tackling the physical finisher.
With the additions of Blount, Jeffery and Torrey Smith, a chunk of Philly’s offseason was dedicated to helping Carson Wentz:
