Jeremy Maclin’s release will hurt the Chiefs in myriad ways

Draft Picks

Let’s not forget that signing Jeremy Maclin cost the Chiefs more than just the up-front 5-year, $55 million deal when it was announced. The NFL also found out that the Chiefs had “tampered” with Maclin in the process of signing him and that anti-tampering rules concerning free agency were broken. The league punished the Chiefs by docking them two draft picks in addition to several fines for the team.

The picks that were lost were a third round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, which ended up being pick No. 91 overall that the Chiefs lost. The Chiefs also lost their sixth round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Those are both assets that Dorsey would have used to improve the team, and while it’s easy to shrug at a sixth round choice being lost, a third round selection is the same round used to grab Kareem Hunt this year and other players like Travis Kelce, Jamaal Charles and the like.

Having Maclin on the team meant not having two more developmental players taken from the draft. Releasing Maclin means the Chiefs not only miss out on having the veteran wide receiver here but the two prospects as well. Thus the Chiefs lost three players overall in the signing and release of Maclin.