What the Future Holds for Jeremy Maclin
June 6, 2017
The Chiefs yet again are making headlines with their off season moves with the release of the talented Wide Receiver Jeremy Maclin. This cut to the team is a valid plan to open up more cap space for the Chiefs to play with, specifically $10 million dollars worth of money to play with. A cut like this provides a significant chunk of change to help add depth or even find coverage for positions that might still be up for grabs in the stages of the pre season.
The clear reason for the cut can be seen in Maclin’s injury troubles last season. With a recurring groin injury, Maclin’s season was set back four games. Obviously missing or hardly being able to perform at full potential for a quarter of a season is a serious problem for a star receiver, so the Chiefs felt it was time to let go of their unreliable number one option. This may seem drastic, but the Chiefs are a run heavy offensive, and with the great deal of depth at the Running Back position we can expect this scheme to continue and even become more prominent this upcoming season. In addition, when it comes time to pass, the Chiefs have created a top of the line Tight End in Travis Kelce. He has the potential to turn quick routes into big yards as well as abuse his size to go up and get long bombs like a Wide Receiver might do. Therefore the Chiefs next step of business is to improve the comfort of the other receivers on the team to perform in the clutch much like Maclin.
The next step for Maclin is to decide where he can find the best fit for his skill set. One team that has expressed interest in him is the Buffalo Bills, as Maclin went to meet with them this Wednesday to discuss his future. Personally, I feel that the Bills are a great fit for Maclin, as he will more than likely fill the slot receiver role. Here Maclin can use his explosive speed and quick footwork to create a great under option as the bigger target Sammy Watkins runs a deeper route. The combination of these two have the potential to wreak havoc on secondaries across the league. In addition, the Bills have the speedy back in LeSean McCoy, who can easily catch a defense off guard that might be playing on their heels if they’re expecting a pass to either one of the two Pro Bowl targets: Maclin and Watkins. All together the Bills offense could really benefit from the addition of Maclin in the offseason, so they must send out an attractive offer to ensure Maclin finds a spot on their team and not on the Ravens, who are also in search of a talented Wide Receiver. As the saying goes, you gotta spend money to make money.
Written by Brett Clark
