Reaction To Jeremy Maclin’s Release

The Chiefs surprised the NFL when they released veteran wideout Jeremy Maclin last night. Coach Andy Reid, who worked with the receiver in both Kansas City and Philadelphia, acknowledged that it wasn’t an easy move to make.

“These decisions are never easy, especially with a player like Jeremy who I’ve grown close with on and off the football field over the years,” Reid said (via Terez A. Paylor of KansasCity.com). “I have a lot of respect for the way he goes about his business and how he handles himself as a professional. I wish him the best of luck moving forward.”

Maclin finished his Kansas City tenure with 27 games played between two NFL seasons. The wideout hauled in 131 total catches for 1,624 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Let’s check out some more reactions from around the league…

• We took a look at the cap implications for 2017, but Paylor explores how the release impacts the Chiefs in the future. The team will be stuck with $4.8MM in dead money in 2018, although the release still results in $8.6MM in total savings.
• Paylor notes that with the move, the organization should now have more than enough money to sign all of their draft picks. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes II, defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon and running back Kareem Hunt all remain unsigned.
• The Chiefs took a considerable risk by waiting until yesterday to release Maclin, writes Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. Thanks to the post-June 1st designation, there was financial incentive to waiting. However, the team allowed Maclin to participate in five OTA sessions, and they would have been on the hook for $10MM had Maclin suffered a season-ending injury during that time.
• Should the Eagles pursue a reunion with Maclin? Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com is under the impression that they should. The organization did add Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith this offseason, but the writer believes the offense could still use some reinforcement. The Eagles don’t have a whole lot of cap room at the moment, so Shorr-Parks wonders whether Maclin would be willing to take a discount to return to Philadelphia.
• The Ravens are a “perfect landing spot” for Maclin, writes ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley. Joe Flacco could certainly use another target, especially following the injury to pass-catching tight end Dennis Pitta. Similar to the Eagles, Baltimore doesn’t have much cap space, so they wouldn’t be able to engage in a bidding war for the receiver. However, if Maclin is looking to slot atop the depth chart for a potential contender, then the Ravens should be considered.