Chiefs Notes: Maclin, Smith, Calitro
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.
- 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.
Reaction To Jeremy Maclin's Release
The Chiefs surprised the NFL when they released veteran wideout Jeremy Maclin last night. Coach Andy Reid, who worked with the receiver in both Kansas City and Philadelphia, acknowledged that it wasn’t an easy move to make.
- We took a look at the cap implications for 2017, but Paylor explores how the release impacts the Chiefs in the future. The team will be stuck with $4.8MM in dead money in 2018, although the release still results in $8.6MM in total savings.
- The Chiefs took a considerable risk by waiting until yesterday to release Maclin, writes Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. Thanks to the post-June 1st designation, there was financial incentive to waiting. However, the team allowed Maclin to participate in five OTA sessions, and they would have been on the hook for $10MM had Maclin suffered a season-ending injury during that time.
Chiefs Tried To Trade Jeremy Maclin
The Chiefs “dabbled” in trade negotiations to evaluate interest in wide receiver Jeremy Maclin before releasing him, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).
That Kansas City wasn’t able to find any takers is rather unsurprising, as any club that acquired Maclin would have been responsible for his 2017 base salary of $9.75MM. While that figure isn’t guaranteed, it wouldn’t have made sense for another team to give up assets for Maclin unless it was prepared to pay his salary. With Maclin now a free agent, any club with interest can now add Maclin without sacrificing draft capital (and perhaps at a cheaper salary).
The Chiefs didn’t ask Maclin to accept a paycut before cutting him, reports Garafolo. Additionally, it’s unclear why Kansas City didn’t release Maclin near the start of the new league year in March. Given that the Chiefs could have designated him as a post-June 1 cut, the financial ramifications would have been the same. Such a move would have allowed Maclin to hit the free agent market much earlier, however.
Maclin will receive a prorated portion of the $250K workout bonus he was due, tweets Joel Corry of CBSSports.com.
Chiefs Release WR Jeremy Maclin
In a rather surprising move, the Chiefs announced that they’ve released wide receiver Jeremy Maclin.
“I’d like to thank Jeremy for his effort and dedication the past two seasons,” general manager John Dorsey said. “I have great respect for all players, which makes decisions like these very difficult, but we felt it was in the best interest of our club moving forward to part ways at this time. We wish Jeremy the best as he continues his career.”
Maclin, 29, posted a down season in 2016, missing four games with a groin injury and registering career-lows in both receptions and receiving yards. Additionally, Kansas City is tight on cap space, with just over $2MM available in funds at the moment. Maclin’s release will help alleviate the Chiefs’ fiscal situation, as the club will clear $10MM in cap room while assuming $2.4MM in dead money.
Even given those factors, the release of Maclin comes as a shock, as the veteran wideout was set to act as the Chiefs’ No. 1 pass-catcher in 2017. Signed to hefty contract just two years ago, Maclin had success during his first campaign with Kansas City in 2016, managing 87 catches for more than 1,000 yards and eight scores.
Without Maclin in the fold, the Chiefs’ wide receiving corps is extremely short on experience. Tyreek Hill was a revelation during his rookie season last year, but he acted as more of a gadget player than as a true No. 1 wide receiver. While Kansas City boasts an excellent tight end in Travis Kelce, the club’s other receivers are Chris Conley, rookie Jehu Chesson, De’Anthony Thomas, Demarcus Robinson, and Kenny Cook.
Maclin now becomes the clear top option among the free agent wide receiver class, as he joins the likes of Anquan Boldin, Steve Johnson, Eddie Royal, and Marquess Wilson on the open market.
Chiefs Sign Two, Waive Two
- The Chiefs have signed a pair of players – tight end Orson Charles and safety Damariay Drew – and waived receiver Jamari Staples and safety Devin Chappell. The 26-year-old Charles is the most notable member of the group, having combined for 31 games and nine catches with Cincinnati and Detroit across the 2012, ’13 and ’16 seasons. Drew went undrafted this year out of Cal, while Staples (Louisville) and Chappell (Oregon State) also went unpicked this spring.
Chiefs Worked Out LB Jamari Lattimore
The Chiefs worked out free agent linebacker Jamari Lattimore today, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
[RELATED: Chiefs Sign Marcus Rush]
Kansas City is searching for inside linebacker depth, as veteran Derrick Johnson is coming off the second torn Achilles of his career, while Ramik Wilson, who fared well in 11 starts a year ago, is still relatively inexperienced. Other options on the Chiefs’ roster currently include Justin March-Lillard, Terrance Smith, and D.J. Alexander. Earlier this year, Kansas City took a look at free agent Rey Maualuga, but no deal came out of the meeting.
Lattimore, 28, has spent time with three clubs — the Packers, Jets, and Bills — since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2011. Although he’s appeared in 64 career games, Lattimore has largely served as depth and a special-teamer, as his only starts (9) came with Green Bay from 2013-14. Lattimore didn’t make Buffalo’s final roster after signing with the club last March, and never landed another deal during the 2016 campaign.
Chiefs Sign LB Marcus Rush
After releasing Tourek Williams last week, the Chiefs have filled his roster spot by signing linebacker Marcus Rush (via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star).
Following a collegiate career that saw him win a Big Ten Championship and the Rose Bowl, the undrafted free agent out of Michigan State initially joined the 49ers practice squad, where he spent two seasons. He was signed by the Jaguars in December, but he was ultimately released by the organization in May. The 25-year-old was a standout during the 2016 preseason, leading the league with six sacks, so the defender clearly has what it takes to compete in the NFL.
Of course, Rush still has an uphill battle to make the Chiefs roster. There are a number of linebackers competing for a reserve spot on the squad, including Tamba Hali, Frank Zombo, Dadi Nicolas, Ukeme Eligwe, Justin March-Lillard, Terrance Smith, and D.J. Alexander.
Speaking of Williams, ESPN’s Adam Caplan notes (via Twitter) that the team released the linebacker with the rare “failure to disclose physical condition” designation.
Poll: Highest-Impact Rookie Quarterback?
Of the 15 quarterbacks selected in last year’s draft, seven ended up starting at least one regular-season game in 2016. The Rams’ Jared Goff and the Eagles’ Carson Wentz comprised the top two picks of the draft, but it was Cowboys fourth-round signal-caller Dak Prescott, the 135th overall choice, who ultimately emerged as the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and the face of a 13-3 team.
When the Cowboys drafted Prescott, there was little expectation he’d garner significant playing time right away, let alone thrive from the get-go, with Tony Romo on the roster. But debilitating summer injuries to Romo and backup Kellen Moore opened the door for Prescott, who’s now firmly entrenched under center in Dallas. Romo, realizing he wasn’t going to start again for the Cowboys, is now working for CBS.
While it’s hard to imagine any rookie quarterback from this year’s 10-man class bursting on the scene in Prescott-like fashion, it stands to reason at least some will get opportunities to do so. Like last year, three passers went in the first round of the 2017 draft, though immediate playing time isn’t a guarantee for any. For now, Mitch Trubisky (No. 2 overall, Bears), Patrick Mahomes (No. 10, Chiefs) and Deshaun Watson (No. 12, Texans) are in understudy roles.
Trubisky, a one-year starter at North Carolina for whom Chicago somewhat controversially traded up a spot to select, reportedly won’t see the field as a rookie unless free agent investment Mike Glennon flops. Considering Glennon previously held a starting job in Tampa Bay but didn’t do enough to keep it, he very well could struggle enough for Trubisky to grab the reins in 2017.
Watson might also take the helm sooner than later, as the ex-Clemson national championship winner whom the Texans traded up 13 spots to draft is behind a veteran, Tom Savage, who’s almost completely untested. Given that the Texans have sullied quality rosters with subpar quarterbacks in recent seasons, it could behoove them to plug in Watson if Savage, he of two career starts and zero touchdown passes, looks like another Brock Osweiler this year.
An early path to playing time appears less clear for Mahomes, even though Kansas City paid a high price to go up 17 places to secure him. At the moment, the ex-Texas Tech gunslinger looks like a good bet to red shirt 2017 behind Alex Smith as the Chiefs take at least one more kick at the Super Bowl can with the steady (albeit non-elite) veteran at the helm.
Perhaps more than any other QB in this year’s class, Browns second-rounder DeShone Kizer stands out as someone who looks destined to amass playing time as a rookie. The 52nd pick and former Notre Dame dual threat has impressed in the very early going in Cleveland. Moreover, his main competitors for the Browns’ open starting job, Osweiler and Cody Kessler, aren’t exactly Otto Graham and Bernie Kosar.
As Prescott and 2012 third-rounder Russell Wilson have shown in the past half-decade, a quarterback doesn’t necessarily have to come off the board at the top of the draft to star right away. That’s surely heartening to the Giants’ Davis Webb (third round, No. 87), the 49ers’ C.J. Beathard (third round, No. 104), the Steelers’ Joshua Dobbs (fourth round, No. 135), the Bills’ Nathan Peterman (fifth round, No. 171), the Lions’ Brad Kaaya (sixth round, No. 215) and the Broncos’ Chad Kelly (seventh round, No. 253). Barring injuries, though, Webb, Dobbs and Kaaya have virtually no chance to earn starting roles at any point in 2017, as each is behind an established veteran. On the other hand, there’s no Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger or Matthew Stafford on any of the rosters of the 49ers, Bills and Broncos, which could give Beathard, Peterman and Kelly a glimmer of hope. Still, for various reasons, all three look like major long shots to break out as rookies. Then again, the same could’ve been said about Prescott 12 months ago.
Photos via USA Today Sports Images and Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.
Kiszla: Chiefs, Broncos In Same QB Quandary
- It is clear to Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post that the Broncos want to give Paxton Lynch every chance to win the starting quarterback job over Trevor Siemian. Lynch is a high-risk, high-reward gunslinger, while Siemian is a no-nonsense game manager, but Kiszla points to the division rival Chiefs to explain why Denver wants Lynch to win the job. Kansas City’s Alex Smith, the definition of a solid, game-manager type quarterback, has been just good enough to get the Chiefs beaten in the playoffs, which prompted the team to jump through hoops to draft the immensely talented but erratic Patrick Mahomes in the first round of this year’s draft.
Chiefs Make Front Office Changes
- The Chiefs have announced several changes to their front office, including the hiring of Tim Terry as director of pro personnel and the promotion of Ryan Poles from college scouting coordinator to director of college scouting. Terry is joining his second NFL organization after spending the first 13 years of his career in Green Bay, where he was most recently the team’s assistant director of pro personnel. General manager John Dorsey was in the Packers’ front office before the Chiefs hired him in 2013, so he’s already familiar with Terry. Kansas City’s Dorsey-led front office also pried Chris Shea away from Philadelphia. Shea, the Chiefs’ new salary cap and legal executive, previously served as the Eagles’ director of scouting administration.