Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz might beat his No. 1 receiver back to the starting lineup.
Due to the timing of his shoulder surgery following Super Bowl LII, Alshon Jeffery is no lock to be ready for the NFL Kickoff Game versus the Falcons on Sept. 6, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, via a source informed of the situation.
In fact, there's a chance that Jeffery will remain on the physically unable to perform list to start the season, Rapoport added. In which case, the seventh-year veteran would miss at least the first six weeks of 2018.
Jeffery is one of a handful of key Eagles players recovering from surgery, joining Wentz (torn ACL, LCL), running back Darren Sproles (torn ACL), left tackle Jason Peters (torn ACL), defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan (back), pass rusher Brandon Graham (ankle), middle linebacker Jordan Hicks (Achilles) and special-teams ace Chris Maragos (knee).
Although Jeffery failed to record a single 100-yard performance in Doug Pederson's spread-the-wealth aerial attack, he came up big in the postseason, hauling in three touchdowns in the NFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl. After originally landing in Philadelphia on a one-year deal last offseason, the Eagles rewarded Jeffery with a $52 million extension in December.
Should Jeffery miss the start of the season, the Eagles' wide-receiver depth will be tested beyond deep threat Mike Wallace and slot weapon Nelson Agholor. Expect Wentz to lean heavily on his tight-end tandem of Zach Ertz and promising second-round rookie Dallas Goedert as he attempts to recapture his own pre-injury form.
