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Dec 6, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (19) reacts after catching a touchdown pass against the Oakland Raiders in the fourth quarter at O.co Coliseum. The Chiefs defeated the Raiders 34-20. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
With the Kansas City Chiefs releasing Jeremy Maclin on Friday, here are five serious Super Bowl contenders that should consider the veteran wideout.
In what turned out to be a major surprise move, the Kansas City Chiefs announced on Friday the release of wide receiver Jeremy Maclin after two seasons. The former Philadelphia Eagles star wideout originally joined the Chiefs to reunite with Andy Reid, but it looks like Maclin now finds himself looking for a new home to play in during the 2017 season thanks to his release.
When looking at all of the teams in need of help at the wide receiver position, it only seems like a matter of time before Maclin reaches an agreement with a new team. But for a player that just recently turned 29, it wouldn't be a surprise if Maclin thought more about joining a serious Super Bowl contender, such as the Oakland Raiders or Green Bay Packers, instead of signing with a team that may not even make the playoffs.
Even if he would have to take a smaller role, Maclin is at a stage in his career where he may only have a few effective years left in him to make a run for a Super Bowl title, especially with his history of injuries. So with Maclin all of a sudden on the market, let's take a look at five serious Super Bowl contenders that should consider bringing the veteran on board for the 2017 season, starting off with the New England Patriots.
Feb 5, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman (11) reacts against the Atlanta Falcons during Super Bowl LI at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
5. New England Patriots
Cards on the table, the New England Patriots don't need help at the wide receiver position when considering they already brought Brandin Cooks on board this offseason courtesy of the New Orleans Saints to give Tom Brady another dangerous deep threat to work with. But when looking at all of the times over the years when the Patriots brought a key veteran on board they really didn't need just to give them an extra weapon, would it really surprise anyone if this is the team Jeremy Maclin ended up playing for?
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The fact that Cooks was joining a receiving corps that already consisted of Julian Edelman and Chris Hogan shows how dangerous this unit truly is, and the addition of someone like Maclin would just provide Brady another toy to play with. Maclin may be coming off a disappointing 2016 campaign in which he only caught 44 passes in 12 games, but the argument can also be made that his numbers would have been better off if it wasn't for Alex Smith, who is more of a game manager at quarterback.
For a team that many consider the strong favorites to repeat as champions, joining a team like New England would clearly be Maclin's best chance at finally earning a Super Bowl. Whether the Patriots would even consider the possibility when considering how crowded the receiving department already is, now that's a different story.
Jan 22, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) gestures to an official against the New England Patriots in the 2017 AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
Just like the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers are another team that is loaded with talent at the wide receiver position, including one of the best the NFL has to offer in Antonio Brown. Around this time last offseason, the Steelers offense was expected by many to shatter numerous records in 2016, and even though that may not have been the case, the unit still made a strong case for being one of the best in the league.
Assuming everyone can stay healthy, all signs point to Pittsburgh having one of the top offenses in the NFL once again during the 2017 season, especially when seeing what Ben Roethlisberger has to work with beyond Brown. Not only is there plenty of excitement surrounding the return of Martavis Brown, but the Steelers hope to see JuJu Smith-Schuster, who caught 20 touchdowns over the last two seasons at USC, make an immediate impact as a rookie.
With that being said, it's safe to say Pittsburgh would be able to figure out a role for someone like Jeremy Maclin if he were to consider coming on board, and the argument can be made he would already be more reliable than some of the other options like Eli Rogers or Darrius Heyward-Bey. Plus, the thought of the Steelers having a veteran leader like Maclin to mentor some of the younger guys is another reason why this move could end up making a lot of sense.
Jan 15, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) celebrates after scoring a two point conversion during the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Divisional playoff game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
3. Dallas Cowboys
Last season was filled with plenty of surprise teams that made the jump from pretender to contender, but the argument can be made that nothing was more shocking than seeing the Dallas Cowboys emerge as the No. 1 seed in the NFC while being led by two rookies. Now that Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott have a year of experience under their belts, the sky seems to be the limit for this duo moving forward, as the Cowboys offense seems like they're going to be in good hands for years to come.
Prescott was already fortunate enough to land another rookie teammate like Elliott, but Dallas deserves plenty of credit for the additional weapons their quarterback gets to work with beyond running back. Between Dez Bryant having some of the best hands in football to Cole Beasley being one of the toughest players to defend in the slot, there's every reason to believe the Cowboys' offense will be one of the best in football once again during the 2017 season.
As far as Jeremy Maclin is concerned, the veteran seems like he would be able to benefit from seeing additional passes thrown his way with opponents focusing most of their attention on the whereabouts of other key players like Bryant and Beasley. Plus, there's always that extra motivation from a team like Dallas to sign a former rival, as this would give Maclin the chance to face his former team in the Philadelphia Eagles twice a year.
Dec 11, 2016; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson (87) spikes the football with wide receiver Randall Cobb (18) after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter during the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
2. Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers has always been considered one of those quarterbacks who makes the players around him better, and even though he's proven to be dangerous when healthy, one can only imagine what numbers Jeremy Maclin could display with a team like the Green Bay Packers. Quarterbacks around the league would do anything to be in the position Rodgers finds himself with the Packers since he's fortunate enough to have two stars in Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, both of which who could be No. 1 wide receivers on any other team.
Not to mention, Davante Adams has proven to become another reliable threat for Rodgers in the passing game, making it obvious why Green Bay finished with one of the top offenses in football last season. Once again, Rodgers and the Packers seem to be heading in that same direction on offense when it comes to dominating their opponents, but it never hurts to add another veteran like Maclin to elevate the unit to a whole other level.
Let's not forget that while Maclin's production was down in 2016 after only finding the end zone twice, this is a wide receiver who managed to catch 18 touchdown passes in the two years before. In other words, a team like Green Bay seems like a perfect candidate to help Maclin get back on track following his disappointing final year with the Kansas City Chiefs.
May 30, 2017; Alameda, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch (24) and quarterback Derek Carr (4) react at organized team activities at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
1. Oakland Raiders
Over the years, it's always been exciting to see players join division rivals, and after his surprise departure from the Kansas City Chiefs, just imagine the level of motivation Jeremy Maclin would be playing with if he were to end up on the Oakland Raiders. As if having the opportunity to face his former squad twice a year wouldn't be exciting enough, Maclin would be able to join a loaded offense in the Raiders who many consider one of the early favorites to make a run at Super Bowl 52 in Minnesota.
After years of frustration, Oakland finally put an end to their disastrous playoff drought thanks to Derek Carr elevating his game to a whole new level at quarterback. But unfortunately for the Raiders, their playoff dreams fell short in the Wild Card round against the Houston Texans as Carr was forced to watch from the sidelines while recovering from a leg injury.
One of main reasons why Carr was able to play like an MVP throughout the 2016 season was due to Oakland providing him with one of the league's top duos at wideout in Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree. Take this into consideration with the hope of Marshawn Lynch returning to his dominant style of play after a year away from football, the addition of a veteran like Maclin could make the Raiders' offense even more dangerous to deal with, and give them a better chance of taking down some of the serious competition in the AFC, such as the New England Patriots.
