The news of Jeremy Maclin‘s release on Friday surprised much of the NFL world, and Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith was among those blindsided by the decision, as he tells Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star. “Shocked,” Smith said of Maclin’s departure. “Jeremy is a really good friend, an amazing teammate, so still kind of just processing that he’s not going to be in there with us, a guy that’s done a lot for us the last two years, a guy I’ve grown really close to.” Maclin, 29, averaged 66 receptions, 812 yards, and five touchdowns in two seasons catching passes from Smith.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two West divisions:
- Now that Maclin is a free agent, he could be a consideration for the 49ers, as Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com writes. San Francisco invested in one experienced wideout (Pierre Garcon) this offseason, but the rest of their receiving corps is relatively uninspiring. Marquise Goodwin, Jeremy Kerley, Bruce Ellington, Aldrick Robinson, and rookie Trent Taylor are among the 49ers’ other options at receiver. From a talent standpoint, Maclin would represent a clear upgrade, but it’s unclear if he prefers to sign on with a contending team. In the midst of a rebuild, San Francisco doesn’t figure to be overly competitive in 2017, meaning Maclin could look to latch on with a club closer to earning a postseason berth.
- Cardinals center A.Q. Shipley underwent core muscle surgery three weeks ago, and while he figures to miss organized team activities, Shipley will be ready for training camp, reports Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. The 31-year-old Shipley, who re-signed with Arizona on a two-year, $3.5MM deal in March, graded as the league’s No. 14 center in 2016, per Pro Football Focus. Reserve interior lineman Cole Toner is currently working as the Cardinals’ center in Shipley’s absence, per Somers.
- Former Villanova linebacker Austin Calitro worked out for the Falcons and Chiefs this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Calitro, who went undrafted earlier this year, signed with the Jets in May but lasted only 10 days on their roster. During his senior collegiate season, Calitro registered 85 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and three passes defensed.
What are the 49ers doing? Signing every single free agent doesn’t make you a contender all of a sudden. Ask the Eagles of a few years ago with the “dream team” and the Redskin teams of the early 90’s who signed every big name free agent. They need to build through the draft, and they did have a good draft this offseason but all of these pick-up’s they are getting seem like over-kill. Paying Garçon and Maclin like number one receivers aren’t going to help them reach the playoffs any quicker.
Garcons deal has team options after year 2 of his contract. They can get off the hook with his contract after 2 years. They can be stop gaps for right now. Maclin would give us a legitimate receiver next to garçon and keep Kerley in the slot.
Yeah cause the niners have signed sooooo many bid name free agents…
Hate to tell you, but you might be able to get Maclin on a one-year deal and hit free agency next year. If it doesn’t work out, then you don’t resign….but if it does…..bonus!!!!!
You’re an idiot. Nobody thinks when you sign free agents you’ll automatically be a contender. You sign free agents to make yourself better. And the 9ers have a lot of cap space. Why not try and make your team better by adding better players. They are in rebuild mode clearly and by signing good free agents like Maclin would make them a little bit better. Don’t you think?
Some people are completely ignorant. The 9ers went out got pieces they needed because their team is full of holes and they had an amazing draft. They didn’t go sign a bunch of a big free agents because that’s not what’s going to win. They need to completely rebuild and that’s what they are doing. Will they be a contender this year? I’d say no but they will be better for sure. And when I hear people say they spent too much in free agency I laugh because they still have the most cap space in the entire NFL with over 60 million left to spend. Give these young guys time to grow and mesh with some of the veterans topped with next years draft and free agency and they’ll be a contender again in a year or two. I love the hiring of Shanahan and I love the hiring of Lynch. Baalke complete ruined this team but we are on the right path now. People need to relax and let it play out. As to the guy saying the 9ers signed every one and all
The big names free agents…exactly what big names free agents did they sign? They signed a bunch of complementary pieces! I think they should absolutely sign Maclin though, put him opposite of Garçon and Kerley in the slot and We’d have a decent set of receivers compared to last year.
Maclin may not want to sign with them though
I know. He may want to sign with a contender. I hope he does though and I hope they are interested.
If drafting a QB wasn’t a sign of the end for Alex Smith, getting rid of his weapons are.
Yea you’re right. I’m not sure why they’d get rid of his best option at WR. They could’ve saved money elsewhere. It’s obvious Smith will be cut next year. They won’t have any cap room again next year so it only makes since especially with drafting a QB. I don’t think it would take him long to get signed though even if he doesn’t have a huge arm and is more of a game manager. Smith is a solid qb who doesn’t make a lot of bad throws.
I disagree that the Chiefs won’t have any cap space next year. As of now they don’t, but the salary cap will go up by a couple million, and AFTER the Chiefs release Alex Smith ($17M), Tamba Hali ($7M), Jah Reid ($3.5M), and Derrick Johnson ($8M), they will have around $40M in cap space. And yes, Hali and Johnson will be released because of their age and big cap hit next year. It’s almost a given. Replace Hali or Johnson (or both) with high draft picks and that would save them millions of dollars!
I hated the fact that the 49ers did Alex Smith dirty. Benching him over Kaepernick was a joke. And then I can’t remember if they traded him or let him go. But whatever the case they should have never allowed kaepernick to take his position. The only thing he did wrong that year was get a concussion. The 49ers were wrong in doing that. Or really Harbaugh was wrong for that. I always said keapernick was a great athlete but was never and still isn’t a true QB. People will argue this but truth is Alex Smith was a better QB and should not have been done dirty the way he was. I get it’s a business. But that was a wrong call and the niners paid for it. I love my niners. But they screwed the pooch on that one. Don’t get me wrong I liked everything else Harbaugh did. I just think that was a bad move.
Agreed