Alshon Jeffery missed time during Philadelphia Eagles training camp due to a shoulder injury. Whether the free-agent receiver is behind due to the missed time depends on who you ask.
After Jeffery ran the wrong route on one formation during Thursday's preseason game, Eagles WRs coach Mike Groh said he believed the wideout was behind mentally after missing time.
"I think he's behind," Groh said Saturday, via CSN Philly. "Anytime you miss the amount of time he did. He's a little bit behind but fortunately, we have time for him to catch up on all that. I thought they got off to a good start the other night."
The flubbed play came on a third-and-12 situation when Jeffery was supposed to run a corner route and instead ran an out route, per Groh. The coach added it was "probably a route that he hadn't practiced yet."
On Sunday, Jeffery dismissed it as a mistake, not a product of missing time.
"Not at all," Jeffery said Sunday when asked if he was behind. "But at the same time, missing a few practices here and there just getting some timing down -- I'll be all right."
Added Jeffery: "It's the game of football. Every once in a while you're going to run a wrong route, make some mistakes on a few plays. But I'll be all right."
Jeffery caught two of five targets for 23 yards in just 17 snaps in his first preseason action last week. Even with the botched route, Carson Wentz showed his willingness to feed the ball to his new receiver (target every 3.4 snaps). With 20 days until the regular season opener, Jeffery has plenty of time to catch up on anything he's behind on before the games count.
