By Paul Macrie, Sports Talk Philly staff writer 
There is only about five weeks to go until free agency officially begins in the NFL. From now until then, the Eagles' front office has some tough decisions to make in regards to which players they want to release, retain and add to the roster.
With approximately $7.5 million in cap space, the team has work to do in order to free up more additional room under the cap figure. Though the cap is increasing during this offseason, the organization has the fourth least amount of space which isn't ideal if signing a bigger-name free agent is the agenda.
One of the top offseason objectives for the Eagles is to greatly improve the talent at the wide receiver position. The current cast which includes Jordan Matthews, Nelson Agholor, Dorial Green-Beckham, Paul Turner and Bryce Treggs is a recipe for continued failure. With a young quarterback on the rise in Carson Wentz, he desperately needs help from his pass catchers.
One free agent name to keep an eye on throughout the next month is Alshon Jeffery.
The five-year veteran has played his entire career with the Chicago Bears. Entering his age 27 season, Jeffery is the best available wide receiver in free agency, and that also means he will command a contract with an average annual salary in the $15 million range.
The Bears can still retain their top wideout, but they appear to be headed in a different direction, as a full rebuild continues for the organization. Though the Eagles are in a similar type of transition, they at least have a quarterback to build around for the future, while Chicago has been stuck with the much-maligned Jay Cutler.
There are certainly pros and cons to adding a receiver such as Jeffery. I am not a huge fan of adding him to the fold, but I can make the case why it could be a sound investment as well.
Jeffery is a veteran wideout Wentz needs right now. Though Matthews has three years of NFL playing experience under his belt, he isn't a top option for any offense. Matthews best excels in the slot where he can create mismatches with slot corners and outside linebackers who don't possess top-end speed. Meanwhile, Jeffery has shown flashes of elite play at the position, particularly in 2013 and 2014.
Jeffery's past two seasons have been highlighted by inconsistent quarterback play, nagging injuries and a four-game PED suspension.
During his two best seasons as a pro, his wide receiver coach was Mike Groh, who was recently hired by the Eagles for the same position. Is that a connection to keep in mind as free agency draws near? Perhaps, but at the moment, don't put too much stock in that tidbit.
The fit makes sense, but the pricey contract demands is a significant hurdle. Some wide receiver-needy team will give Jeffery a rich contract. Cap room becomes an issue for the Eagles if they want to make this type of move a reality. There are several release/cut candidates, but will it be enough to make a serious bid for the potential top wideout in this year's free agency class?
It is a possible scenario for the Eagles. Jeffery is in the midst of being in the prime of his career, and Philadelphia would be paying for additional prime seasons, with the bulk of the guaranteed money coming in the first two-to-three years. Also, he has a lot to prove after his PED suspension this past season. Can he bounce back and shed the label of being a cheater? He should be rejuvenated in any situation where there is stability at the quarterback position, something he hasn't had the benefit of for most of his career.
If the Eagles are able to free up about $15-20 million of cap space before free agency begins on Tuesday, March 9 at 4 p.m., then a run at Alshon Jeffery makes sense.
Is it the most ideal way to allocate the cap savings? I would say the best free agent course is to sign a lesser free agent receiver such as Kenny Stills, who the Eagles will reportedly target in free agency, and then use any additional space for a cornerback, linebacker, offensive line and defensive line depth. Stills is about three years younger than Jeffery with a higher ceiling.
Impending free agent receiver DeSean Jackson remains an option for the Eagles as well, but given his age (30), and potential for a steep decline in the next several years, it will be best to pass on a Jackson reunion in Philadelphia.
Alshon Jeffery would give the Eagles' receiving corps a much-needed boost, and veteran presence the team lacks. It would be a solid match to team with Jordan Matthews in the slot, and expect an early draft pick to be part of the mix as well. It will be a delicate balance between contract length, money guaranteed and adequate cap space if you factored in the large commitment.
If it makes sense for 2017 and beyond without being a detriment to the long-term cap situation, then I am for signing Jeffery. The problem is there are some hurdles to leap before even thinking about targeting a top wideout on the free agent market. Free agency isn't a great course to improve a roster, but in this particular circumstance it can be a risk worth taking.
