With ten days to until free agency begins, the Eagles are running out of time to work out a deal with Jeremy Maclin before he can talk with other teams. This past Wednesday, ESPN's Adam Caplan tweeted that a deal between the two sides seemed almost definite in November, but when Maclin changed agencies, things became less certain.
That doesn't seem to be the case for Maclin, who tells Les Bowen of The Daily News that he wants to be here, in Philadelphia and that his agent change hasn't been a factor.
"It's been a long time since I changed agents, so no," Maclin said, when asked if he thought the agent change had been a factor in his talks.
"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, following an appearance on behalf of the team at the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Heart Health Day, in front of Lord & Taylor at the King of Prussia Mall. "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."
If the Eagles don't believe a long-term deal will be agreed upon, they have until tomorrow to put the franchise tag on Maclin. According to Bowen, Maclin would make just under $13 million in 2015 if that were the case. All of that money would also go against the Eagles 2015 cap, so the tag seems like an unlikely option at this point.
"Everybody likes long-term security," Maclin said. Asked how he would feel if he were tagged, Maclin said: "It's part of the business. I'm very attuned to what's going on, I'm very attuned to how everything works. My side and the Eagles, if we're going to come to a head, we will."
Maclin caught 85 passes for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns this season for the Eagles. He doesn't seem too concerned about a deal getting done, telling Bowen that there's no rush and that the two sides should be happy with the terms of the contract when and if they sign on the dotted line.
The Eagles selected Maclin 19th overall out of Missouri in the 2009 draft.
