While early reports regarding the health of wide receiver Jeremy Maclin have been positive, he has suffered his number of scares in almost three weeks of training camp that have left his time on the field inconsistent. After missing all of last season due to an ACL tear, Maclin returned on a one-year contract as Philadelphia remained hopeful he could regain his dominating form. However, after yet another injury, Maclin is back on the sidelines.
The Eagles are in the middle of joint practices with the Philadelphia Eagles. That means the wide receiver group is getting a first-hand look at the new secondary of the Patriots which includes cornerback Darrelle Revis. Maclin has been getting a full dose of Revis and exceling against the Pro Bowler. According to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Maclin continues to "toast" Revis during 1-on-1 drills. The wide receiver has shown excellent flashes of speed and explosiveness since his return to the field, but that has come at a price as the wide receiver is injured once again.
Maclin removed himself during Wednesday's practice after suffering a hamstring injury. Reporters noted he grabbed his left hamstring and walked off the field cursing himself. Maclin stressed to reporters that it was no big deal and he remained hopeful that he would be back on the field come Friday's preseason game. The severity of the hamstring pull has yet to be determined, but it is likely the Eagles will move on the side of caution in hopes of avoiding any type of setbacks.
The absence of Maclin has allowed rookie Jordan Matthews to emerge as a star in training camp. While he was inconsistent in his debut, notably dropping a few big catches, the rookie wide receiver has impressed coaches. The more time he gets on the field, the better chemistry becomes between he and quarterback Nick Foles. Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur is not concerned over the mix reviews regarding Matthews' debut.
"We'd like to think it was just a first‑game deal," Shurmur said, via Philly.com. "He's trained well all the way through the spring and certainly through training camp so we are going to anticipate he'll be back out there running routes and catching balls. He's fine."
Head coach Chip Kelly does not expect Maclin's hamstring to be a lingering issue, but it does help Matthews and Riley Cooper as they return to the field. Foles has some heavy expectations on him after a strong season in 2013 and chemistry with his wide receivers will help dictate whether or not they are met.
