Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Over the past few years, arguably no position has seen a greater influx of talent than wide receiver. 23 teams will be paying over $10 million dollars for their wide receiving corps in 2014 (most out of any position) as the pass catcher has never been more valuable than it is today. Perfect timing for Chicago as the one-two punch of Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery is among the best in the NFL.
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While 2014 should be another record-setting year for Bears wideouts, there will come a time in the not too distant future when the team will have to pay their breakthrough performer of a season ago. The only question is how much.
As of right now, the team will be allocating just under $15 million ($14,805,854, 13th in the NFL) for their receiving core in 2014 (the league average is $13,300,783) , but with Jeffery still in his rookie contract that number is soon to undoubtably increase. Another year like ’13 and the Bears may be forced to reward the 24-year-old with a contract extension a year early. The only good news is that Chicago certainly won’t be the only franchise shelling out big money to a young receiver.