Buffalo Bills: Jeremy Maclin would dramatically improve offense
LeSean McCoy is recruiting Jeremy Maclin to join the Buffalo Bills, and the veteran receiver would be huge for their offense
It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that wide receiver is currently an issue for the Buffalo Bills. They haven’t been particularly deep at the position of late in any regard. However, with the departure of Robert Woods this offseason, they’re even more deficient in that area. Sammy Watkins is still in-tow, but behind him is less than inspiring.
After Watkins on the wide receiver depth chart in Buffalo is rookie Zay Jones, free-agent signing Corey “Philly” Brown and Andre Holmes. Jones has a ton of potential, but is obviously unproven coming out of a smaller school in East Carolina. Brown and Holmes, meanwhile, are less than stellar role players, for lack of a better term.
With the draft now in the past, the Bills could have been looking at a rough season in terms of the weapons they were giving Tyrod Taylor to throw to. However, they may have a gift that fell in their laps in the form of Jeremy Maclin.
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Maclin was a shocking cut by the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday, a move to create cap room. Thus, the veteran pass-catcher is on the market. And with Buffalo’s need, they seemed like a sensible destination. And apparently running back LeSean McCoy agrees. According to ESPN’s Mike Rodak, McCoy is recruiting Maclin to come to Buffalo. What’s more, Rodak added to not “be surprised if it happens.”
This would be a coup for the Bills if they were able to grab Maclin as the first major post-June 1 cut and subsequent signing. Given what we’ve already discussed, there’s no need to address the need in Buffalo for another receiver. However, Maclin’s presence could be even more critical given a more nuanced look at the little bit of depth the Bills do have.
That nuanced look centers around Watkins, their No. 1. When healthy, it’s been impossible to look past the Clemson product’s work on the field. The issue, however, has been getting on the field. After playing in all 16 games as a rookie in 2014, Watkins missed three games and was slowed in many more due to a foot injury in 2015. He then was sidelined for eight contests last season with lingering issues, and was hampered for several of the eight that he played in.
Maclin, on the other hand, has been quite consistent in terms of getting on the field. Despite missing four games last season, he’s played in 15 or 16 games in five of his seven seasons in the league. At 29 years old, he’s still in great physical condition and should help to provide stability to a Bills receiving corps severely lacking it.
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Subsequently, Maclin would be a massively important addition to the Bills offense. As they look to determine the future of Taylor, giving him consistency with his receivers will be key. Though he’d be a mid-offseason addition, Maclin would give that during the 2017 campaign. Thus, things would start to look much more favorable for the Bills offense than they otherwise would.