Eagles Likely To Franchise WR Jeremy Maclin?

Geoff Mosher  of CSN Philly expects the Eagles to use their franchise tag on free agent WR Jeremy Maclin if they are unable to reach an agreement on a long-term contract by tomorrow’s deadline.

• Mosher adds that this would buy Philadelphia some extra time to work on a long-term that would keep him under team control for the foreseeable future.
• In the end, Mosher expects Maclin to a new contract finalized with the Eagles before the start of the 2015 season.

Maclin could be one of the more sought after players in free agency, and the fact that there are some cap-rich teams like the Raiders, Browns, and Colts who could use help at receiver suggests that things could get out of hand quickly for the Eagles.

Maclin mentioned on Saturday that he wants to be back in Philadelphia next year.

“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 Saturday, via Les Bowen of 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.”

A few days ago, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the Eagles and Maclin aren’t “significantly far apart” in contract negotiations.

McLane adds that there is mutual interest between the two parties in bringing Maclin, but the Eagles would prefer to pay him less than the $12.8 million it would cost them to use their franchise tag.

In the end, McLane can see Maclin securing a contract that will pay him close to $9.5-$10 million per year to go along with $20 million guaranteed over the first two years of the agreement.

Maclin, 26, missed the entire 2013 season after he suffered a torn ACL. The Eagles later signed him to a one-year contract worth $5.5 million, even though they were reportedly interested in giving him a multi-year agreement.

In 2014, he caught 85 passes for 1,318 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns over the course of 16 games. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 14 receiver out of 110 qualifying players.

We have Maclin currently listed as the No. 12 player in our Top 100 Free Agents list.