Eagles Do Not Place Franchise Tag on Jeremy Maclin

The Eagles are about to roll the dice with free agent wide out Jeremy Maclin.  The team decided not to assign the franchise or transition tag to their top wide receiver, making him free to sign with any team when free agency opens on March 10.

The franchise tag would have been a costly move for the Eagles, the team would have had to pay Maclin a guaranteed one-year, $12.8 million.  The Eagles would obviously like to bring him back after his 85 catch, 1,318 yard 10 touchdown season last year, but now they must fight with 32 other teams who could be interested in his services.

Just because the Eagles didn't place the franchise tag on Maclin the two sides could still be working on a deal before the "legal tampering" begins on March 7.  By all accounts the two sides want to get a deal done, but it only takes one rouge team to overpay for what could be the top free agent wide out on the market now that Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas both were given the franchise tag by their respective teams.

(Listen to CSNPhilly.com Eagles insider Geoff Mosher discuss Maclin's options)