Jeremy Maclin Holds The Cards Despite Offense’s Reputation

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jeremy Maclin could have received a multi-year deal in the 2014 off-season despite not playing a snap in 2013 due to an injury, but he decided to bet on himself with a one-year deal. It was the best bet he could have made, as Maclin has probably been one of the top ten receivers in the league this season.

I mean, he’s tied with Alshon Jeffery at tenth in the receptions rankings with 83, and he’s eighth in the NFL with 1,280 receiving yards. With 15.4 yards per reception, Maclin has also been one of the best playmakers at the position, and that’s exactly what an “X” receiver needs to do in Chip Kelly’s offense.

Even though Riley Cooper has done nothing to support him in the Eagles offense and Nick Foles was poor before his injury, Maclin still put up monster numbers, though they did fall a bit with Mark Sanchez (he looks for Jordan Matthews often) running the offense.

Maclin fired his agents not too long ago, and he’s all-in when it comes to getting a new deal after not being able to secure one in the offseason. The focus is on the Eagles to give him a new contract, and he has to be their clear top priority at this point. They may have an elite running back in LeSean McCoy, an elite offensive line, a top-notch TE in Zach Ertz, and the promising Matthews as the second-best wideout, but Maclin is still arguably the most important player on this offense.

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No. 1 receivers are incredibly valuable in this league, because not only are they capable of taking over games, but they also open things up for the entire offense by commanding plenty of attention from defenses.

Maclin’s ability as a No. 1 receiver is a huge part of this offense’s success, and he’s the biggest reason why Foles and Sanchez have been able to put up hefty passing yard totals.

In an offense predicated upon making space, having a top wideout is especially important, since it draws the defense to that player, leaving more space for everyone else to operate.

The best receivers in the game are able to make big plays while also being reliable target for their offense. His 15.4 yards per reception plainly show that he’s capable of making the kinds of plays that the Eagles offense craves.

With just one drop this season, per Pro Football Focus, Maclin has the league’s lowest drop rate (Larry Fitzgerald also has just one drop, but Maclin has been targeted more often this season). Those hands scream “reliable”, especially since Maclin clearly has the route-running chops.

I mean, how else do you create enough space to have a 60.1% catch rate despite over 15 yards per reception. Of the 12 players with at least 15 yards per catch this season, Maclin, Julio Jones, Jordy Nelson, DeAndre Hopkins, and T.Y. Hilton are the ones with a catch rate of at least 60%. He’s also proven to be a nice red zone weapon with ten touchdowns, making him one of ten WRs with double-digit TDs.

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Eagles

Eagles

Nelson is currently the eighth-highest paid receiver per year after signing his extension this year, but I can’t see Maclin making $9.75 million per year on a new deal with the Eagles. I don’t think he’s quite as good as Nelson, but his one bargaining chip over Nelson is the fact that he didn’t play with a star quarterback or with a receiver who is anywhere near as talented as Randall Cobb.

In terms of value to his respective team, Jeremy Maclin is arguably as valuable as anyone, and he’s established himself as a top-20 receiver in this league; I wouldn’t be upset if you put him in the top 15.

Maclin put the league on notice by thoroughly roasting Patrick Peterson in Week 8 before the Arizona Cardinals CB left the game, and he finished that outing with a ridiculous 12 receptions for 187 yards and two touchdowns. That’s what Maclin is capable of, and he had three games this season with at least 150 yards of receiving. And with 11 games with at least 50 receiving yards, Maclin also shows plenty of week-to-week consistency.

DeSean Jackson had a monster year for the Washington Redskins, making huge plays at a scorching pace, and he earns $8 million per year with his new club. I could see Maclin netting a similar contract from the Eagles, and he could get four or five years on his deal since he’s only 26.

Due to his injury in 2013 and the constant desire to mitigate risk, the Eagles will likely limit his guaranteed money. A whopping two-thirds of Jackson’s deal with the Redskins is in guaranteed cash, and I don’t think Howie Roseman and the Eagles would do the same. I could see Maclin getting around $8.5 million per year (Pierre Garcon money) with less than one-third of his contract being guaranteed.

The Eagles didn’t seem to value Jackson much at all, but they can’t make the same mistake with Maclin. Character concerns with D-Jax aside, the Eagles could make a grave mistake if they take too hard of a stance on Maclin, because he’s their most valuable pass-catcher and helps keep the offense ticking with his playmaking ability and reliable hands.

He’s established himself as a true No. 1 receiver, and it would be unwise to risk losing him. They already have some serious decision-making to do at the quarterback decision, so it would be a handicap to the front office if they need to scramble to find a different legit No. 1 to give to Foles or some other QB.

It’s unclear how hard of a stance either side will have, especially since Maclin bet on himself and has a tremendous opportunity to cash in. Based on the comments he’s made about the Eagles, he clearly wants to stick around, but I don’t expect a huge discount.

With other talented receivers like Dez Bryant and Michael Crabtree on expiring contracts, I expect some people to be more patient in an effort to gauge the market, so I wonder if the Eagles will also take that into account this offseason. Either way, Maclin will be paid handsomely for his services, and he deserves it after leaving his mark on defenses, even if he has cooled down lately.

I think the Eagles will try to minimize risk by not giving him much guaranteed money, and I don’t think they’ll be afraid to wield the franchise tag if it comes down to it. Jeremy Maclin has been the Eagles most valuable player on offense this season, and that is more than enough leverage. Without him, this offense might not have earned the “high-powered” label this season, especially when the running game wasn’t producing.

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