While most of the talk since the season ended for the Philadelphia Eagles has been whether or not they can or should pursue Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota, the fact that they have more pressing needs cannot go unnoticed.
Impending free agent wide receiver Jeremy Maclin is coming off a career year. After never recording more than 70 receptions and 1,000 yards in a single season, Maclin had a monster campaign in 2014 (85 catches, 1,318 yards, 10 TDs). As a result, he was selected to his first Pro Bowl.
Maclin took a gamble on himself heading into 2014, as he suffered a torn ACL early in training camp before the 2013 season and missed the entire year. He decided to sign a one-year deal, even though the Eagles were trying to lock him up long-term.
The gamble paid off significantly for Maclin, as he finished in the top 10 in receiving yards and simply became an extremely reliable target for Philadelphia.
Maclin has made it perfectly clear that he wants to remain in Philadelphia for years to come, and the feeling seems to be reciprocated by the organization. However, after it was reported the two sides were close to an extension at the end of the season, talks have hit a bit of a snag recently, with Maclin changing agents. There is still a ton of time to get a deal worked out before free agency starts on Mar. 10, but the Eagles cannot be happy with the most recent developments.
Yet, as unhappy as they may be, Philadelphia can’t allow Maclin to walk.
After losing wideout DeSean Jackson last offseason, the wide receiver position took a bit of a hit in 2014. Yes, rookie receiver Jordan Matthews showed promise, but bringing back Maclin to solidify the group is a must.
Former NFL agent Joel Corry feels that Maclin is a $10 million per year player, and he may be right. Receivers Greg Jennings (five years, $45 million) and Dwayne Bowe (five years, $56 million) each landed solid contracts two offseasons ago, and Maclin could be looking at a similar deal.
He is still just 26 years old, so he should be able to play out the life of whatever contract he agrees to. Like I mentioned before, there is still time and it is not worth panicking quite yet, but if free agency gets closer, the Eagles may be forced to make a decision with the franchise tag or let Maclin test the market.
Max Zelenko is a Philadelphia Eagles/NFL writer for www.Rantsports.com. Follow him on twitter @maxzelenko, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.
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