The Future Price of Alshon Jeffery

[table id=5 /]

The 2013 offseason set a new standard for the wideout position with pedestrian receivers collecting big money on the open market as the receiver’s price tag has continued to skyrocket. While Mike Wallace, Percy Harvin, and Greg Jennings certainly provide value t0 any team, none have had the body of work of some of the young stud wide receivers soon to hit free agency.

Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

In 2015, guys like Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas will surely get well over $10 million per season with, depending on their performance in 2014, Michael Crabtree, Randall Cobb, and Torrey Smith each having a chance to eclipse that mark when they enter free agency.

In 2016, A.J. Green and Julio Jones will each deserve a rich new contract extension and if Josh Gordon and Justin Blackmon can get their character issues under control they will find themselves on that list as well. T.Y. Hilton, though not quite being among the top tier free agents in ’16, will likely earn an extension similar to the one Antonio Brown received.

That makes eleven receivers soon-to-be making close to, and in some cases well over, ten million dollars a season, and that’s not even including Jeffery. Earlier this offseason the second round draft pick wasn’t shy to tell Sporting News’ Rana L. Cash his opinion on where the Bears receiving tandem ranks among the NFL elite.

“I feel that last year, what we did, we were at the top of the list as the two best receivers.”- Alshon Jeffery

While Jeffery’s career numbers aren’t quite to the level of Bryant, Thomas, Green, and Jones, he’s not far off either. Another season like ’13 and he’ll deserve to be among the top young wideouts looking for a new contract. In fact, if Jeffery continues to shine in 2014, the Bears should look into signing him a year early as the price for an elite receiver is only going up.

All financial numbers can be found at spotrac.com.