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The Eagles have signed veteran receiver Jeremy Maclin to a one-year contract, the team announced Friday afternoon.
Maclin missed the entirety of the 2013 season with a torn ACL suffered during training camp. In 2012, Maclin led the Eagles with 69 receptions, 857 yards receiving and seven touchdowns through the air and became just the eighth receiver in NFL history to record at least 55 catches and 750 yards in each of his first four seasons in the league.
Maclin ranked among Eagles receiving greats through the first four years of his career, leading the franchise in receptions (258), while ranking third in yardage (3,453) and fifth in touchdowns (26). He enjoyed his best season in 2010, as he notched career-highs in catches (70), receiving yardage (964) and touchdowns (10).
"Jeremy is an ideal player for our scheme with his combination of size, speed, strength and route-running ability, in addition to his dynamic playmaking talent," said general manager Howie Roseman. "We're happy to see him rehabbing well and to get him under contract for the 2014 season."
"I'm excited to see Jeremy play in our offense," said head coach Chip Kelly. "You saw the potential of that in the spring and summer but obviously he didn't get an opportunity last year. However, what was great to see was how he was literally here every single day since being injured. You can see he has a passion for the game of football. When he was on the field last spring and summer, you saw his intelligence, you saw his great route-running ability and you saw how tough of a one-on-one match-up he could be."
As Profootballtalk.com has reported, Maclin was insisting on a one-year deal because he’s confident enough in his recovery that he believes he’s ready for a big year in 2014, and he wants to cash in a year from now.
The question now is what the role will be?
Riley Cooper emerged as one of Nick Foles' favorite targets in Maclin's absence last year, meaning Maclin will have to work his way back into the rotation. That said, the addition of a healthy and effective Maclin certainly affords the team an opportunity to field a more dangerous receiving corps.