On Day 1 of NFL free agency, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Alshon Jeffery, a true No. 1 wide receiver outside of the numbers with the frame and catch radius to create matchups at multiple levels of the field. Let's break down the skill set of the 6-foot-3, 218-pound receiver and discuss how he can impact the Eagles' offense in 2017.
Red zone matchups
Even after a subpar 2016 working with multiple quarterbacks in Chicago and limited red zone targets (12 total targets), Jeffery still has 14 career touchdown receptions inside of the 20-yard line. He's a true matchup weapon on isolation routes with the massive catch radius to pluck the ball outside of his frame.
Throw the slant and fade. Start there. This allows Jeffery to win with route running, size and body control. That means shielding the defender from the ball (after creating leverage inside) on the slant or climbing the ladder to make the play at the highest point on the quick fade route. Find the matchup, create a true one-on-one and give your receiver a chance to finish the play.
Here's an example from the 2016 tape with Jeffery's touchdown versus the Minnesota Vikings. The route? The slant versus off-man coverage.
