Maclin to the Ravens

Posted: June 13th, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 50 Comments »

Jeremy Maclin visited Buffalo. Then he visited Baltimore. So his final decision came down to…

Huh? What happened.

Doug Pederson explained the Eagles side of things.

“As I’ve said, we’re always looking for talent and ways to upgrade this roster. At the time when I was asked that question, I had not talked to Jeremy, but when he was still available over the weekend, we got together as a staff and discussed it. I called him and spoke to him and had a good conversation just to see what he was thinking, where he was at,” Pederson said. “He made the decision today to sign with Baltimore and we wish him the best of luck. We feel very good about what we have at wide receiver, but again we’re always going to keep our eyes open for ways to improve our football team at any position.”

Interesting.

I think this was about the desire to add Maclin, not a WR. The organization loved him when he was here. And Maclin did not want to leave the team. It must have been very tempting for him to come home, so to speak.

He chose the Ravens. They have a veteran QB, coach and GM. They have a clear need at WR. And they have more cap space. It makes sense that he would go there.

I have no idea what would have happened if the Eagles had signed him. Would they have cut Torrey Smith or traded Jordan Matthews? It is always possible they would have kept the four of them with the idea that last year the team had arguably the worst WRs in the league and overstocking that position with talent was worth any risk in terms of how to use everyone and keep them all happy.

It is easy to wonder if Howie Roseman was having a 2011 flashback. “Go sign him!!!” But again, I think this was a special case. The Eagles aren’t out there chasing big names like Eric Decker, Darrelle Revis and whoever else is still on the market. This was a specific move. This was about Jeremy Maclin. He was a star player for the Eagles, but also a high character guy.

I don’t blame the team for having some interest and making some calls. Remember that they are trying to surround Carson Wentz with as much talent as possible. Maclin wouldn’t have been an ideal fit because of the way the roster is already built, but he would have added talent to what was a significant weak spot a year ago.

*****

Jimmy Bama has a good piece up on Dave Fipp and his desire to someday become a head coach.

“I do think that being a special teams coach in this league – and I’m not speaking about myself, but in general – there are some really quality guys, and I think it is a unique position because you get a chance to see the whole roster,” he explained. “You’re not working on the offensive side or the defensive side of the ball. On game day, you’re really involved in a lot of the decisions that the head coach is making – when to punt, when to kick, when to go for it. What are our odds of making this field goal? All those types of things I think are decisions that a head coach makes, I think a special teams coach is naturally really close to that.

“I think that their understanding of the roster and the makeup – the 53-man roster, the 46 man roster – really is different than an offensive coach or a defensive coach, because they’re just worried about their side of the ball, while a special teams guy is worried about all 46, because they all play for him.”

Fipp makes a pretty good case for why a STs coach can become a head coach.

John Harbaugh is the only guy in recent years to make that move.

Marv Levy is one of the first STs coaches in NFL history and he did okay as a head coach. He went to the CFL as a head coach before eventually ending up in Buffalo.

Bill Cowher was a STs coach before moving to being a defensive assistant. He then went on to the Steelers as head coach.

Dick Vermeil was one of the first STs coaches in the NFL. He went to UCLA to become a head coach before making his way to the Eagles.

Some GM or owner should see that Fipp has the potential to be a head coach. I just hope he stays with the Eagles for another couple of years. Having him run the STs units has been hugely important the past few years. This team would have been in big trouble without him.

_

50 Comments on “Maclin to the Ravens”

  1. 1 Julescat said at 8:49 AM on June 13th, 2017:

    has Maclin appeared on the Ravens injury report yet?

  2. 2 Sb2bowl said at 10:08 AM on June 13th, 2017:

    No, but he tackled himself while boarding the flight to Baltimore.

    United cheered for him; consequently, they just signed a contract to be the official sponsor of the Ravens.

  3. 3 Bert's Bells said at 9:58 AM on June 13th, 2017:

    I’m a big fan of Fipp’s argument for ST coaches.

  4. 4 D3FB said at 10:16 AM on June 13th, 2017:

    So is Keith Armstrong

  5. 5 Bert's Bells said at 10:27 AM on June 13th, 2017:

    Is ATL special teams any good? I know they interviewed him before they hired Chip, but I don’t really know much about the guy.

  6. 6 D3FB said at 10:58 AM on June 13th, 2017:

    I have no clue, I just feel bad that he keeps getting bullshit Rooney rule interviews when nobody is serious about hiring him.

  7. 7 Media Mike said at 7:08 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    It is an overall shame league wide that they’re aren’t more minority head coaches. If I was Armstrong (or a few other guys) I’d lose my mind at an a 30 year poor red zone “D coordinator” getting the Buffalo job.

  8. 8 CrackSammich said at 8:43 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    If you keep getting interviews and not hired, it’s probably just you being bad at interviews. Yeah, Rooney Rule creates situations where dudes who never had a chance get interviewed, but you can’t tell me that if he didn’t walk into the room and fucking nail it that he’d still be passed over. Source: Mike Tomlin.

  9. 9 D3FB said at 8:45 AM on June 14th, 2017:

    Sure but at some point I’m taking you’re request for an interview and saying fuck off show me the other black coach you’re interviewing because I’m no goddamned token

  10. 10 Media Mike said at 7:06 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    It makes a ton of sense.

  11. 11 Rellihcs said at 11:08 AM on June 13th, 2017:

    Off topic (god it killed me to type those extra 6 letters)…

    Who makes team at CB? And i am not interested right now about quality, just who.

    I really like CJ Smith as a dark horse quality depth vet career. But i bet he’s on the practice squad again. Assuming PUP for Syd Jones, I say Douglass, Mills, PRob, Brooks, and Grymes make it.

  12. 12 D3FB said at 11:14 AM on June 13th, 2017:

    That’s probably right. Smith could make the squad if Brooks isn’t completely recovered.

  13. 13 Rellihcs said at 11:26 AM on June 13th, 2017:

    Yeah.

  14. 14 ChoTime said at 1:30 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    Just write OT?

  15. 15 Rellihcs said at 1:32 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    Wtf? Lol. IMO, excessive acronyms suck. FWIW

  16. 16 daveH said at 3:01 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    DNOYC is all time

  17. 17 Rellihcs said at 3:31 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    For twelve year olds, perhaps.

  18. 18 daveH said at 5:07 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    not funnier is mo’ betta

  19. 19 ChoTime said at 11:42 AM on June 14th, 2017:

    I agree tbh.

  20. 20 Nick C said at 3:11 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    I think PRob may make Brooks expendable. Id rather CJ Smith make the team over Brooks. The double edge to that sword is if someone goes down early. If I have to see Jaylen Watkins at safety, I will puke.

  21. 21 Rellihcs said at 3:30 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    Perhaps. I think Brooks proved to be quite good at nickle and is not wise to cut, assuming healthy…

    I am hoping/thinking that Terrence Brooks earns the 3rd safety job, and then as the 4th, its Maragos or they keep 5 and it’s dumb to bitch about Warkins if he’s at best a 4th…

  22. 22 Media Mike said at 6:38 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    Get Jaylen Watknis the hell off of this roster!

  23. 23 Nick C said at 12:15 PM on June 14th, 2017:

    How can I upvote more than once…

  24. 24 Media Mike said at 6:37 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    6 CBs (Douglass, Mills, Robinson, Brooks, Grymes, and Smith)
    4 S (Jenkins, McLeod, Brooks, Maragos)

  25. 25 Rellihcs said at 7:01 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    Fine with me, but is this based on whats best for the team, or “Watkins is your new Barner vitriol replacement”?

  26. 26 Media Mike said at 7:02 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    Did you watch the 2nd Giants game last year? Watkins cannot cover at safety.

  27. 27 Rellihcs said at 7:09 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    Maybe, but we potentially might have a better D this year, and he could improve still. I am going to trust the coaches… We’re talking bottom of the roster…

  28. 28 Media Mike said at 7:10 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    F-ing internet is being difficult, but I was trying to link a picture of “trust no one” from the X files that wasn’t overly large. Oh well.

    But in either case I like to take an amalgamation of the beat writer’s reporting on how guys are playing in game and my own two eyes to develop the best 53 possible.

  29. 29 Media Mike said at 7:03 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    And Barner vitriol was based on what was best for the team; a better RB than Barner being on it. I’m not making conclusions over roster spots based on anything other than what the best 53 guys are for a combination of short team goal and long term development.

  30. 30 Ryan Rambo said at 11:50 AM on June 13th, 2017:

    Eagles LT Jason Peters said he is looking for a reworked contract which does not force him to go “year to year.”
    The 35-year-old tackle added he wants to retire with the Eagles. With no guaranteed money over the final two years of his deal, there was speculation the Eagles would move on from Peters this offseason. He clearly wants to avoid the same drama moving forward, although he will likely have to take a pay cut from the nearly $21 million in salary and bonuses he is scheduled to make the next two seasons to gain guaranteed cash.

  31. 31 Ankerstjernen said at 3:20 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    That’s pretty crazy, no? I mean, at this point in his career, wouldnt he want more money in every single year, given that the next injury might force him to retire?

  32. 32 Bert's Bells said at 3:32 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    He wants guaranteed money. Dollars to donuts he hasn’t down well saving/investing and he’s now seeing a dramatic drop in income on the horizon and no big quick cash infusions.

  33. 33 Tumtum said at 11:05 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    That is exactly the vibe I have.

  34. 34 Media Mike said at 6:38 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    Sorry Peters, you’re under contract for 2017 and 2018 at good money and you’re old. So you can enjoy playing for the team for as long as they’d like to keep employing you.

  35. 35 CrackSammich said at 8:38 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    Yeah, but if he’s willing to play for cheaper, why not listen?

  36. 36 Media Mike said at 8:43 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    If the money going to him was an aggregate net gain on our cap long term, that would be fine. But I’m willing to bet that ain’t the case.

  37. 37 CrackSammich said at 8:48 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    Old vets take pay cuts for more guaranteed money all the time. I imagine he sees that there’s no way we pay the sticker price on the last years of his current contract, and he isn’t ready to retire. Considering he’s due $0 after this year, if takes a pay cut and gets even $500k in guaranteed money, it’s a win for him. And if he’s still in playing shape, a couple million in guarantees is worth keeping him on the team next year, especially when we have some leverage towards keeping the price tag low.

  38. 38 Media Mike said at 8:59 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    You’re math is adding up, but I have a hard time thinking that’s what Peters actually wants.

  39. 39 Tumtum said at 11:02 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    Sounds like someone who has debts. I hope not the case.

    *edit* when did anyone ever say they were gonna cut him anyway?

  40. 40 Tumtum said at 5:33 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    Mac must really like it here to even have given it serious thought.

  41. 41 Julescat said at 7:23 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    Maclin using philly to get more money elsewhere?

    it’s deja vu all over again

  42. 42 Tumtum said at 7:27 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    He already had two teams. Why did he need Philly?

  43. 43 Rellihcs said at 8:00 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    All we know is that Doug picked up the phone and called Maclin, who answered…

  44. 44 Insomniac said at 7:55 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/874622637992968192

    I would much rather have Maclin at that price instead of Torrey Smith.

  45. 45 Rellihcs said at 8:03 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    That doesn’t sound like similar contracts…

  46. 46 Insomniac said at 8:12 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    https://twitter.com/MikeGarafolo/status/874631330679672832

    I don’t know what’s true or not so ¯_(ツ)_/¯

  47. 47 Tumtum said at 10:21 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    it ain’t all that different.

  48. 48 增达网逆向直销网赚 said at 9:07 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    爷，收下我的膝盖！

  49. 49 bushisamoron said at 9:48 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    Marlin chased the money in KC and again in Baltimore- I don’t blame him one bit but thats what he did.

  50. 50 A_T_G said at 11:46 PM on June 13th, 2017:

    If we had brought back Maclin for 10 MM+, tell me every article wouldn’t be about Howie chasing the past and spitting Chip at the cost of the team’s future.