The Chiefs surprised the NFL with the release of Jeremy Maclin last week, but Andy Reid insists it has nothing to do with a recently fired front office exec.
In mid-May, the Kansas City Chiefs fired their Director of Football Administration, Trip MacCracken. Last Friday, the team released wide receiver Jeremy Maclin. On Tuesday, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid says there is “zero” connection to be made between the two moves.
The questions arose because Maclin’s release was all about the financial side of things and seems to make little sense on the surface other than the need for more cap space. Maclin is still young yet he’s also clearly the veteran leader in the locker room and on the field for the offense, especially among such a young stable of wide receivers. Maclin also knows the playbook as well as anyone among skill position players, and his release puts even more pressure and defensive focus on Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill.
MacCracken was reportedly responsible for the financial side, helping with the salary cap and contract negotiation with Chiefs players, along with other execs, of course. However the timing is interesting enough to make a reporter ask the question.
Everyone understands the nature of the NFL, given the proverbial “it is a business” line that’s tossed around several times in an offseason. That said, this is an odd move. While Maclin was definitely becoming expensive at $12.4 million this year, and he was coming off of a rough season where he played through some injuries, the Missouri product was back and seemed ready for a fresh start in 2017.
Now he and perhaps the man who negotiated his contract are both aiming for that start somewhere else.