Having checked into Halas Hall on Monday, wide receiver Alshon Jeffery will attend the Bears’ three-day mandatory minicamp starting Tuesday.
The reason is in the name: because Jeffery signed a one-year, $14.59 million franchise tag tender in March, he’s subject to fines if he misses mandatory events.
Jeffery stayed away from Halas Hall after signing the tender, hoping to negotiate a long-term extension. He and the Bears have until July 15 to do so; otherwise he will play the season under the one-year deal.
Here are five things the receiver missed:
• A mellow response. Everyone inside Halas Hall would have preferred Jeffery’s participation in the offseason program, but they seemed less annoyed than they were last season, when tight end Martellus Bennett missed the same amount of time in a failed attempt to renegotiate his contract.
Jeffery stayed in contact with his coaches and the front office, even spending time with John Fox after bumping into him at Wrigley Field on May 28.
He returned to Chicago during the draft weekend, too, signing autographs at “Draft Town” and telling fans that his plan was to “let (GM Ryan) Pace and my agent” talk about his contract.
• A hopeful boast. Last month, new offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains couldn’t help but dream when asked about the combination of Jeffery and receiver Kevin White, who returned to the field during the offseason program after recovering from shin surgery.
“I can’t wait to get them both on the field at the same time,” Loggains said. “Something we’ve never seen in Chicago.”
That would take a stellar season. In 2013, Jeffery and Brandon Marshall posted 1,421 and 1,295 receiving yards, respectively, and became the only Bears receiving pair to be selected to the Pro Bowl in the same season.
“I think that both of those guys get healthy and they’re working their tails off to get out there together,” Loggains said.
White, a 2015 first-rounder, said increased reps during organized team activities were beneficial.
“I’m kinda worried about what I have to do, try to get on the same page with Jay,” he said. “And when Al gets back is when Al gets back.”
• A new-ish scheme. Loggains’ offense is different than that of Adam Gase, though the terminology remains.
“The shell of the offense will stay the same,” Loggains said. “It’s been the same since (John) Fox has been a head coach. The language and everything will be the same but it will evolve like it would have if Adam would have been here.”
Still, he said he’s “not concerned” about Jeffery picking it up.
“I know Alshon is working hard right now,” Loggains said. “And we’re excited to get him back when he shows up.”
• A new coach. Jeffery and new wide receivers coach Curtis Johnson have developed a relationship even though he hasn’t been inside Halas Hall. Johnson flew to California to visit Jeffery shortly after being hired to replace Mike Groh, and has spoken with him on the phone around once a week.
“Just to get to know him a little bit,” Johnson said last month. “He didn’t know who I was, and I didn’t know who he was.
“One thing about him: he’s a very, very bright young man, he’s smart, he’s confident. I really fell in love with him. I really liked him. I like his personality. I like his goals. He wants to win here.”
• A health update. Pace said in April that Jeffery stressed how hard he was training Florida, working on his biomechanics after missing nine games with soft tissue injuries.
“Talking to him and his agents, they understand the importance — as we do — of him having a healthy season,” Pace said. “I know that’s in the front of his mind.”
Tuesday, he can show his bosses.
