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PHILADELPHIA, PA – DECEMBER 26: DeSean Jackson #11 of the Washington Redskins tells the crowd to be quiet after a touchdown catch by Jordan Reed #86 of the Washington Redskins against the Philadelphia Eagles on December 26, 2015 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

2017 NFL Free Agency Preview: Wide Receivers

Posted by on Feb 27, 2017 16:41

NFL Free Agency opens on March 9 and This Given Sunday is previewing the free agency class position by position. This column focuses on the wide receiver position, a group that features plenty of experienced names and the intriguing Terrelle Pryor Sr. who will be looking to cash in on just one year at wideout to make for a deep class of talent.

Following is a look at the top names in free agency this year at the wide receiver position:

Alshon Jeffery

Alshon Jeffery will hit free agency come March 9 with the Chicago Bears not expected to franchise tag the wide receiver, who now has a chance to control his fate and situation after a few lousy years where he struggled with the Bears. Jeffery playing just 21 games in those two seasons as injuries and the decline of Jay Cutler sparked regression from the once dominant force in Chicago.

Now, Jeffery has the chance to cash in and most importantly the opportunity to find himself a situation where he can start to make plays again if he decides to leave the Bears. A decision that would appear to be the logical one for Jeffery, who at 27 should want to avoid a further rebuild in Chicago unless they can succeed in pairing him with a Jay Cutler replacement at quarterback. The Bears also might want to move on from Jeffery, who has hurt his value with an injury absence in 2015 and a four-game suspension for performance enhancing drugs last season.

If Jeffery leaves, he will command a ton of attention from teams that need a number one receiver. A situation like the Tennessee Titans seems to be the best fit for Jeffery where he could land at a cap heavy team that needs a veteran star to pair with a young franchise quarterback. At this point, any situation seems better than laboring on the Bears for the rest of his prime, so expect Jeffery to test the waters of free agency and be a hot commodity as the most talented wideout available this offseason.

Terrelle Pryor Sr.

Despite the objections from plenty of NFL cornerbacks – such as Pacman Jones in his infamous rant after their AFC North clashes this past season – Terrelle Pryor Sr. successfully transitioned from a failed NFL quarterback project with the Oakland Raiders to a legitimate success story at the wide receiver position. The presence of a wise offensive mind in head coach Hue Jackson and a lack of other options for offensive weapons on a dreadful Browns team gave Pryor the perfect opportunity to build a new identity in NFL circles in a one-season audition before free agency.

The big question for NFL general managers in regards to Pryor will be if his production in 2016 for the Browns was a result of future talent or if his production was the product of a lack of a better option in Cleveland. Still, there aren’t many free agents out there who are coming off 77 catch, 1,000 plus receiving yard seasons and that alone will earn Pryor a contract he likely thought he would never receive after a handful of seasons on the brink as a struggling failed quarterback prospect out of the Ohio State eligibility scandal. Don’t be surprised if the Browns utilize some of their $100 million in cap space to franchise tag Pryor and keep him in Cleveland for one more season, which would make him the NFL’s highest-paid wide receiver in 2017.

DeSean Jackson & Pierre Garcon

After narrowly missing out on the NFC Wild Card, Washington enters an offseason where the bulk of their aerial attack will be unrestricted free agents. Quarterback Kirk Cousins is currently without a deal, and his two primary receivers in DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon could also be on their way out of the nation’s capital as well in a frightening situation for head coach Jay Gruden.
What happens with Washington’s free agents will be a product of what happens with their quarterback situation and if Washington decides to continue to ride things out with Kirk Cousins after a second straight winning season. If Kirk Cousins is franchise tagged a second time or signs a longterm deal, the Washington brass will likely wish to keep his familiar weapons around and keep their veteran wide receivers.
Garcon would likely welcome a return to Washington provided Cousins is still the quarterback after his five-season spell with the team after a run with Peyton Manning in Indianapolis. At 30, Garcon would have a chance to retire with the team with another extension and with Cousins would also have an opportunity to make a realistic run at some playoff appearances if the team can continue to hover above .500 football. However, after a 1,000-yard season in a contract year, there could be a dispute regarding value between the two parties that could create a rift if one side expects a hometown discount while the other is expecting a reward for having a stellar year before hitting the open market.
When it comes to Jackson, the vocal wideout had three successful seasons with Washington after he came over to his former NFC East rival after he was pushed out by Chip Kelly in Philadelphia. Jackson posted 1,000-yard years in his two fully healthy seasons with Washington, but appears likely to express a heavy interest in a move elsewhere after he signed a stop-gap deal for exactly this reason in the first place.
If both Garcon and Jackson expect to be paid, it will be unlikely that Washington will be able to keep both and afford a Cousins franchise tag all at the same time. That means that either Garcon or Jackson will be the odd man out in Washington come March. The decision on who they choose to part ways with will be interesting, but whoever is forced out of the picture in Washington will surely be paid as a proven option that will be near the top of the free agency picture at the wideout position.

 

About Chase Ruttig

Chase Ruttig is a Canadian sportswriter who covers North American sports for various outlets.

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