Written by Nick Shook at NFL.com
Now that we’ve had time to digest Kansas City’s Friday evening release of Jeremy Maclin, it’s time to project where the veteran could be headed.
At 29 years old, one would think he’s got at least a couple more years of effective football left in him. As we detailed Friday, his stats did see a dropoff in 2016, but Maclin missed four games and was battling for targets with teammates Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill and Chris Conley. Kelce led the Chiefs with 116 targets, with Hill finishing second with 83, Maclin third with 76 and Conley fourth with 69, according to Next Gen Stats. It’s not outrageous to expect his numbers to rise in 2017, given he’s placed in the right situation.
Which teams offer the best fit? Let’s take a look below.
Baltimore Ravens
It might require some cap finesse and a hard sell, but this is the pairing that makes the most sense. Baltimore has made a living off adding veteran pass-catchers for much of the last two decades (Shannon Sharpe, Anquan Boldin, Steve Smith, etc.) and would be wise to add Maclin to a group that includes Mike Wallace and Breshad Perriman. Maclin has big-play ability, but when paired with two burners like Wallace and Perriman, Baltimore’s receiving corps could become that much more dynamic with a reliable target like Maclin. Add in the significant hip injury to Dennis Pitta, and Baltimore could use a veteran target now more than ever.
Chicago Bears
The Bears watched Alshon Jeffery walk to Philadelphia and have no real indication of what they have in Kevin White. Their most inspiring returning receiver is Cameron Meredith (keep your “but what about Markus Wheaton?!” retorts to yourselves). Maclin would bring a veteran presence that this corps sorely needs and a highly dependable target for new arrival Mike Glennon and future franchise quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.
Cleveland Browns
Let’s just start this point by saying this one isn’t happening, but we have to list it, because on paper, the Browns still show a need at receiver. But the Maclin/Cleveland union won’t happen, because the Browns treat anyone near 30 like they’ve just become eligible for an AARP card (or, for Ohioans, the Golden Buckeye card). Maclin is 29. Cleveland isn’t a veteran wideout away from contention, so it would be more worthwhile to get its quartet of second-year wideouts (Corey Coleman, Rashard Higgins, Jordan Payton, Ricardo Louis) some valuable playing time.
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