The Philadelphia Eagles have some offensive issues on their hand. The team continues to sort through who stays and who goes in terms of free agency as several of their top stars have expiring contracts. The Eagles took one further, shocking many by not using their franchise tag on wide receiver Jeremy Maclin at the Monday deadline. Does this mean the receiver is destined to leave or is Philadelphia just that confident a deal will get done?
The franchise tag deadline came and went and Maclin was not signed. The wide receiver will now become an unrestricted free agent unless the Eagles can pull off a deal in the next week. Maclin signed a one-year deal in 2014 as a prove-yourself contract after missing an entire season with a torn ACL. He repaid the Eagles by leading the team in receiving yards and is now ready to get his deserved long-term contract. Negotiations have been ongoing between the two sides, but when a deal was not reached Monday, many assumed the tag was likely.
According to CSNPhilly.com, the Eagles are not in any rush to re-sign Maclin. This year's free agency and draft group at the position is very deep as 2015 is really a buyer's market. Philadelphia might believe that a $13 million cap hit for a receiver that is good, but not a top-5 player is simply too excessive to take on. Maclin is confident that he can remain with the Eagles.
"I've always said I want to be here in Philadelphia, but I've also always said I understand it's a business," Maclin said, via Philly.com. "Both sides have made it known that we both want each other back, so the rest of it is in God's hands. If it's supposed to happen, it'll happen. I want to be here."
Salary cap space is certainly an issue with the Eagles. Right now the team is dealing with the heavy cap hit of LeSean McCoy. It would seem that Maclin cannot return to his requested demands if McCoy is still on the roster. According to Eagles beat writer Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Eagles have not requested that the running back take a pay cut this season in order to retain Maclin. There are still trade rumors circling McCoy's name as the Eagles consider packaging him with Nick Foles in order to acquire Marcus Mariota in the draft, but that is mere speculation.
The Eagles appear confident in a rotation with Riley Cooper and Jordan Matthews. They would have to add another body or they could draft someone. The Eagles offense likely could not survive if both McCoy and Maclin were gone, so Philadelphia has some decisions to make.
