The Philadelphia Eagles have two wide receivers in need of contract extensions and enough money to only re-sign one. Both Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper would like to remain with the Eagles and while the team seemed hopeful that both receivers could get new deals. It looks like only one will be back.
According to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Maclin is getting prioritized over Cooper and will be the first to negotiate a new contract with the team. The reasoning? Maclin could be the cheaper wide receiver of the two players, giving the Eagles more salary cap space to work with throughout the offseason.
Maclin is coming off a season where he missed the entire year due to a torn ACL suffered in the preseason. Maclin was expected to have a big year, but the knee injury put his future in question since sitting out an entire can end a career quickly. However, the Eagles intend to keep Maclin, targeting a one-year contract for the wide receiver.
A one-year deal is typical for any player coming off injury and something Maclin was expecting. The Eagles can bring him back at a cheap price, let Maclin re-establish his value and price tag in the league and then worry about a long-term deal next year.
"For a team that wants to give me a one-year deal, that's cool," Maclin said, via Comcast Philadelphia. "I'll just go out there and ball out, do the things I think I can do. Hopefully get that type of deal I'm looking for (after 2014). If a team wants to give me a long-term deal, I'll go out there and still do the same thing."
Cooper will not accept a one-year contract. His value went up despite an offseason incident after he played all 16 games, putting up 742 yards and seven touchdowns in the final 11 games of the season. His chemistry with Nick Foles was off the charts, but the Eagles know they simply cannot afford the wide receiver. This year it will be a buyer's market when it comes to receivers and plenty of teams will be after Cooper.
The Eagles reportedly came to the decision to give a deal to Maclin over Cooper after talking with teams at the NFL scouting combine over the weekend. They got a feel for what the free agency market will be like and realized the going rate for Cooper will be simply too high. The Eagles will give Maclin the cheaper contract and then sign a less-expensive free agent to help with depth.
