Jan 15, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (19) warms up for the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Divisional playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Jeremy Maclin was a surprise post-June 1 cut on Friday by the Kansas City Chiefs, so which teams should sign the veteran wide receiver?
Every offseason, the time for post-June 1 cuts always contains some surprising names. There was little time wasted in fans seeing one of those coming about. On Friday evening, the Kansas City Chiefs announced that they'd cut veteran wide receiver Jeremy Maclin.
From a cap standpoint, the move makes sense. Per Spotrac, the Chiefs saved $10 million on their books by cutting Maclin. And to a degree, the move also makes sense from a football standpoint. Maclin has been reliable and productive at times, but he's not been the player that Kansas City ultimately paid for.
With that said, Maclin showed last season that he's fully capable of being an effective receiver in this league. He still has solid hands and still has speed to beat teams deep, even if it's not as lethal as it once was. As such, his phone almost surely started immediately ringing following the news of his release.
In that light, though, which teams should be calling? There are certainly a bevy of options, but these five teams make a ton of sense for signing Jeremy Maclin.
Jan 1, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) prepares for action against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
5. Dallas Cowboys
This might seem like an odd addition to this list for a number of reasons. For one, the Cowboys haven't been big players in free agency to this point, unless you count losing their secondary, due to them being financially strapped against the salary cap. What's more, they re-signed both Terrance Williams and Brice Butler this offseason. With Dez Bryant still in the fold along with Cole Beasley and Ryan Switzer, they should be okay at the position.
However, Maclin is a far superior player to Williams, who has yet to pan out fully to this point. What's more, he'd help provide a more consistent deep threat for the offense and really complete the unit nicely. Given that Butler's deal can be voided with him being cut with little penalty, that's not a concern either. Even better, though, is that the Cowboys have space opening up with Tony Romo and Doug Free's contracts coming off the books thanks to retirement, opening up roughly $19 million in space.
We saw in their 13-3 season a year ago that Dak Prescott and this offense are dynamic and dangerous. With that said, Maclin would make them even more so. He's the type of veteran addition that could take the unit to another level, which may be critical given a young defense that might experience severe growing pains.
Jan 1, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) looks on against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Carolina Panthers 17-16. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
4. Carolina Panthers
Perhaps one of the most frustrating positions right now for Carolina Panthers fans is at wide receiver. The loss of Ted Ginn Jr. in free agency is obviously a part of that. However, there are also unflattering reports around the already maligned Kelvin Benjamin and his weight that he showed up at for OTAs. On top of that, Devin Funchess has been a bust to this point and rookie Curtis Samuel will likely need polishing before he can fully be unleashed.
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Yes, the Panthers still have the ever-reliable Greg Olsen at tight end. What's more, the addition of running back Christian McCaffrey in the draft will add an element to the passing game. However, there's very little to bank on outside of that given the shortcomings or unproven nature of the other players in the fold. Carolina could stand to add more weaponry to help out their biggest asset, Cam Newton.
Maclin would be a fantastic addition in that regard. Not only would he help to immediately replace the deep threat element that Ginn occupied and that Samuel may take time to work into, but he also provides more nuance to that role than Ginn ever did. Adding a player like that could help the offense get back to their 2015 form, something Newton and the Panthers desperately desire to make happen.
Dec 4, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor (5) reacts after the Bills rushed for a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders in the second quarter at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
3. Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills receiving corps truthfully has a great deal of potential, even with the departure of Robert Woods. Rookie Zay Jones was one of the most underrated players in the draft and could prove to be a steal as a second-round pick. What's more, we know what a healthy Sammy Watkins is capable of. Though they are thin at the position, there's hope for the top end of the depth chart if things break right.
However, the issue for the guys catching passes from Tyrod Taylor is the fact that nothing is guaranteed in terms of that top level of performance. Watkins' injury woes have been widely noted at this point. What's more, Jones could face an adjustment period as he transitions to the NFL. Subsequently, Taylor could very much be left on an island with only the running game led by LeSean McCoy to aid him.
That's where Maclin could come in and be a huge asset for the Bills. While he's not a perfect fit given the players they already have, the Bills should be looking to add quality talent where they can. If they're still unsold on Taylor being the guy, they have to at least do their due diligence. That includes giving him the weapons required to suceed.
May 22, 2017; Thousand Oaks, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) throws a pass during organized team activities at Cal Lutheran University. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
2. Los Angeles Rams
In an offseason where the Los Angeles Rams really needed to make notable steps in terms of adding talent to help the team progress, they didn't exactly hit a home run. Sure, signing veteran tackle Andrew Whitworth will be huge for both Jared Goff and Todd Gurley. However, their addition of weapons around Goff was a bit lackluster overall. Robert Woods and rookies Cooper Kupp and Gerald Everett aren't exactly reliable commodities at this point.
When you have a young quarterback — much less one that struggled the way that Goff did as a rookie — having such a talent-deficient group at wide receiver and tight end is detrimental to his development. Even if Whitworth and an improved offensive line helps him stay upright longer, that doesn't matter if his guys aren't open and aren't catching his balls. Thus, they could stand to do more at the position.
Therefore, adding Maclin would ultimately make a great deal of sense for the Rams. Though they have plenty of contract worries to deal with right now concerning locking up Aaron Donald and potentially Trumaine Johnson, Goff is who they bet their future on. Thus, it's necessary to put him in the best position possible for him to succeed. Adding Maclin would be a move in that direction.
Dec 25, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) throws a pass during the first quarter of a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh won the contest 31-27. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
1. Baltimore Ravens
For years the Baltimore Ravens' success has been predicated on their defense. And judging by how they approached the 2017 offseason — particularly the draft — they plan to keep doing just that. Their defense is younger and potentially more loaded than it's been in many years. However, their offense can't say the same, and that's an issue considering how poor the unit was a year ago.
Though there were a number of factors involved, the short of why the Ravens failed to make the postseason one year ago is the shortcomings of their offense. And now their offense is facing even more dire straits entering the 2017 season. With Steve Smith retiring and now reliable tight end Dennis Pitta injuring his hip at OTAs, the already limited options in Baltimore are even more limited. Thus, they're possibly the most obvious destination for Maclin.
On some level, the viable deep threat ability of Maclin might be a tad redundant of Breshad Perriman and even Mike Wallace. However, the vertical threats are perfect for Joe Flacco's big arm. What's more, the Ravens really aren't in a position to be picky about who they bring in at the position. They simply need talented bodies that can actually effectively play the position in the NFL. Maclin is that and more, thus, he'd be a great addition in Baltimore.
