When the Kansas City Chiefs decided to sign Jeremy Maclin, I loved the move because it gave Alex Smith another target to get the football too outside of Jamaal Charles and star tight end Travis Kelce. Before getting to Kansas City, he was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles and he along with DeSean Jackson became one of the best wide receiver tandems in the NFL. The guy just lives and breathes football. He was a two-time consensus All-American at Missouri and the Eagles selected him with their first draft pick in the 2009 draft. He’s on his third team in his career now as he’s signed a two-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens.
This is another move/signing that I am a fan of. I know injuries have slowed him down and kept him off the field but when he’s healthy, he’s a productive receiver. At 6 feet even and 198 pounds, he’s a very explosive guy that has the first step and the speed to get off the line of scrimmage and can run to get open down the field or over the middle to release and make a catch whether it’s in space or in traffic. The one thing he hasn’t received enough credit for is his mental toughness. I remember during the playoffs last season when they faced the Houston Texans, he made a catch and came down awkwardly on his leg. He was taken out of the football game and suffered a high ankle sprain and that’s one of the worst injuries you can have on the football field especially as a receiver because you need to be able to push off your foot and plant and cut. A week later, he was back on the field for their divisional game in Foxborough to take on the New England Patriots.
The Ravens were in desperate need of a wide receiver. Steve Smith is now retired, Breshad Perriman hasn’t necessarily panned out the way people expected him too when he was drafted and the Ravens didn’t necessarily have a threat for Joe Flacco to get the ball too especially with the news that Dennis Pitta suffered another hip injury. It’s a good move that could help the Ravens offense out significantly.
