Jeremy Maclin to the Ravens? Eric Decker to the Cardinals?
- Tyler Webb
- Jun 12, 2017
- 3 min read
As another day goes by in the NFL we get tons and tons of new info and drama around the league. Last Friday the Chiefs shocked everyone (including most the team) by cutting star wide receiver Jeremy Maclin. Maclin was set to make a little over $12 million for this season, more than star wideouts such as Jordy Nelson and Keenan Allen. Maclin made the Pro Bowl once in 2014, and was coming off an injury plagued season last year. With the emergence of Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce last season, along with Chris Conley coming into year 3, Maclin’s role quickly vanished while being hurt. Meanwhile on the East coast the Jets are clearing house offensively and Eric Decker has been the latest casualty to their roster. Decker was with the Jets for 2 seasons, and losing another with the team due to injury. Over those first two seasons Decker nearly had 2,000 yards, 154 catches (246 targets) and 17 touchdowns.
With that being said, there a few teams who would to add a talent like Maclin to the roster. The Buffalo Bills, who cut wide out Kolby Listenbee on the 6th, are biting at the former Pro Bowler’s skill set for their offense. The Bills lost a majority of their wide receiving core from last season, and Sammy Watkins’ has yet to show he will be healthy for this season. Likewise the Baltimore Ravens are trying to make up for the loss of Dennis Pitta, who was released due to his third hip dislocation in his career. With Pitta out for at least this season, that makes 335 targets (119/Pitta) that need to find a home in the Raven’s offense. Maclin was targeted 76 times last season in the 12 games he did play in, which projects to roughly 101 targets for Maclin. Mike Wallace is an aging speed receiver, Perriman has yet to have a game with 5 or more catches, mix in their committee of tight ends and you still don’t have a solid #1 wide receiver for Joe Flacco to throw to. Other teams in the mix could be the Redskins, the Rams, and of course the Browns. The Browns have plenty of depth but a lack of talent at the receiver position, and Corey Coleman is still injured with two separate injuries keeping him out of OTAs. If Maclin looks to be signed he will have to take a pretty large pay cut, which will most likely keep him on the shelf for longer than his talent proves.
The armpit of the NFL just got a little more stinkier with the report that Eric Decker will either be traded, or released by the Jets. There is a strong lack of talent with the New York Jets offense, and Decker is debatably the only talent they have left. The Cardinals have reportedly been interested in trading for the 30 year old wide receiver, which would replace the hole left from Michael Floyd they have struggled to fill. The Lions were rumored to be interested in Decker, but talks have since seemed to flare out. If there is no trade I think the Cowboys could benefit the most out of all the teams, giving not just Dak a new weapon, but Dez more 1 on 1 coverage and a more open field. A red zone attack of Dez, and Decker sounds scary enough, add in the league’s leading rusher too and it sounds unstoppable. The 49ers and Bears are dark horses to snag Decker. Both teams have new quarterbacks that need new targets, and the Bears have Cameron Meredith and Kevin White out with injury.
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