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Chicago Bears’ Rumors: Alshon Jeffery To Attend Bears’ Minicamp

By Ernest Shepard
Published on: 00:29 PST, Jun 11, 2016

Alshon Jeffery will be at the Chicago Bears’ minicamp when they convene next week on June 14. It will be the end of Jeffery’s avoidance of the Chicago Bears’ training facilities, which have hosted voluntary offseason training activities for the past few weeks. Jeffery’s presence at minicamp will be a welcomed sight. Is it long overdue?

News of Alshon Jeffery being at the Chicago Bears’ minicamp was first reported by ESPN Chicago’s Jeff Dickerson. With contract negotiations currently underway, it is no doubt that the Bears’ front office and coaches would have wanted Jeffery present.

There seems to be no animosity between Jeffery and the Bears’ coaching staff. It was just two weeks ago that Alshon Jeffery was hanging out with Bears’ head coach John Fox at the Chicago Cubs game. Jeffery was there to throw out the first pitch and sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” during the 7th inning stretch.

The Chicago Bears know that they are a better team with Alshon Jeffery, than they are without him. He will earn a double-team once the season starts. That will help the other Bears’ receivers. It was the hope that Jeffery would participate in offseason training activities. It is questionable whether or not he had to perform any of the drills had he been on hand. Alshon Jeffery is now a team leader. Being present is important.

Some are quick to point out that not much could have been gained for Jeffery had he attended the OTAs. All voluntary workouts just ended a few days ago. There is a feeling that he could have been with his teammates, especially the rookies. Jeffery could have been helping them along with friendly banter and offering his insight on what the coaches want to see.

Just doing what Brandon Marshall did with him was what should be on Alshon Jeffery’s mind. It did not matter if you liked Brandon Marshall or not, the mercurial Marshall shaped Jeffery into the player his is today.

At the Bears’ OTAs, Alshon Jeffery was supposed to pay it forward. However, because of his contract status, he may not want get hurt. The $14.6 million franchise tender he signed does not offer him any guarantees with the Bears, or any other team. Before this offseason the wide receiver had never missed OTAs.

At least, Jeffery will be with the Chicago Bears for minicamp. Not that he was expected to be a no-show. It is well within his right to sit out camp while lobbying for a new deal.

Injuries happen in OTAs just as they take place during a scrimmage, or on the practice field. Many of Jeffery’s ailments had something to do with his hamstring, calf and other soft tissue injuries. Simply running on the turf could have ended his Bears’ season instantly.

It is uncertain what participation Alshon Jeffery will have at Bears’ minicamp. The Bears still have time to work on a long-term extension with Jeffery. The deadline to do so is July 15.

One Chicago Bears’ player who will not be at Bears’ minicamp is offensive lineman Manny Ramirez.

The 10-year veteran retired from football, according to the Denver Post. Manny Ramirez was added to the Bears roster to not only compete for a rotational spot with the team, but to push center Hronis Grasu for his starting position. The Bears drafting of offensive lineman Cody Whitehair made the veteran Ramirez expendable.

Manny Ramirez is not the only player from the offensive line to leave the Chicago Bears. Just two days after Cody Whitehair was drafted in the second round, the Bears cut incumbent left guard Matt Slauson.

Slauson was one of the Bears best free-agency signings of the decade.

Ramirez was signed to a one-year deal with the Bears in late March.

[Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images]

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