The tough 2015 NFL season for the new-look Chicago Bears is reportedly set to get tougher. De facto No. 1 wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, who returned to practice this week but has been unable to suit up since Week One, is now set to miss the Bears' Week Four matchup against the Oakland Raiders, according to reports from Jeff Dickerson of ESPN Chicago and James Koh of NFL.com.
With Brandon Marshall traded to the New York Jets in the offseason, the assumption was that the big, sure-handed Jeffery would take over his spot as the favorite of quarterback Jay Cutler in the passing game. And while many expected the Bears to struggle early as they made the transition to the John Fox era, no one could have expected an 0-3 start that could very well become 0-4 without Jeffery in the lineup against an on-the-rise Oakland Raiders team.
Without Jeffery and Cutler in the lineup last week, the Bears offense was beyond punchless as they were shutout by the Seattle Seahawks. Cutler's replacement Jimmy Clausen finished the day with just nine completions for 63 yards and tight end Zach Miller led the team in receiving yards with 21 on a single completion.
Cutler remains a game-time decision for the Bears against Oakland and if he can't go, it will ultimately matter little that Jeffery is sidelined because Clausen simply doesn't have it in him to get the ball to his outside receivers.
Still, Jeffery's struggles to stay healthy combined with his looming contract negotiations with the team don't seem to bode well for a long, productive future in Chicago. It also likely means another week of heavy lifting for Bears running back Matt Forte against Oakland.
