Jeremy Maclin embraces role as Chiefs’ No. 1 receiver

It has become a customary sight during the Chiefs’ organized team activities this spring — Jeremy Maclin, the team’s new No. 1 wide receiver, going all out to catch a pass.

Whether the pass is too high, too low or too far in front of him, Maclin has consistently tried to haul in every one, even if he sometimes goes to the ground because of the effort.

“You try to stay off the ground, but when that ball’s in the air, it’s a different story,” Maclin said. “It’s instincts and reaction.”

Mind you, players don’t wear pads in OTAs, and Chiefs coach Andy Reid discourages players from doing things that can cause injuries.

“Well, we want everybody off the ground,” Reid said. “That’s one of the main objectives here is everybody off the ground.

“There are certain guys, though, that if they’re close to the ball, they’re going to go for it. It doesn’t matter what you tell them, some guys are just going to do that. You don’t want that, but that sometimes happens.”

So while Maclin isn’t attempting full-scale diving catches, his effort in this area does stand out, and Reid understood that was part of the package when they signed Maclin, 27, to a five-year, $55 million contract this offseason.

“That’s him, that’s 100 percent him,” said Reid, who coached Maclin in Philadelphia from 2009-12. “That’s how he plays. It doesn’t matter if it’s a game, if it’s a practice, if it’s shorts. That’s how he rolls. That’s the beauty of him.”

The Chiefs are counting on Maclin to be ready in September. In 2014, his first as the No. 1 option in an offense, Maclin caught 85 passes for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns in Eagles coach Chip Kelly’s high-octane system. Maclin consistently separated vertically from defenders and tracked the deep ball, skills that have been glaringly missing in the Chiefs’ offense.

Maclin has willingly stepped into the role as the Chiefs’ No. 1 receiving option. Like Dwayne Bowe before him — who was released after Maclin’s signing — Maclin is the first receiver to go through every drill, setting the tone.

“I’ve got a lot of experience, man,” Maclin said. “Jason (Avant) and myself, we’re the old guys of the group. I’m just going to go out there and try to lead by example.”

Maclin and Avant, 32, provide a strong presence for a 12-man receiving corps that includes 10 players with three years of experience or fewer. While Maclin sets the tone by going first in drills, Avant can often be spotted going last, watching the young players in front of him and offering tips later.

“Jason’s that guy who is always there, because typically J-Mac’s running something before me, and while J-Mac’s running it, Jason’s talking to me,” said rookie third-round pick Chris Conley. “So in those times, I take the moments to listen to what he’s got to say because he has a wealth of knowledge.”

Conley said Avant, in particular, has a good way of communicating constructive criticism.

“He’s always great about that, and he’s always helping you,” Conley said. “It’s never ‘Oh, that was terrible.’ It’s more like ‘Hey man, you might want to try this next time, you might want to work on this a little bit, after practice let’s get this in.’ It’s always small things, the little things, that go together to make you a better player.”

But Conley also noted that Maclin has been very helpful as well, and the coaching staff is leaning on both to stabilize and lead a young group, both with their words and their actions.

“It’s Jeremy or Jason, and those veteran guys as individuals, they’ve been that young player before and they’ve had to look up to veteran guys and they’re now in that role,” offensive coordinator Doug Pederson said. “It just comes second nature to them, and they’ve done a good job with it. It’s great to see those guys teach and coach and for the young guys, to watch them run routes.”

This story was originally published June 3, 2015 at 4:49 PM with the headline "Jeremy Maclin embraces role as Chiefs’ No. 1 receiver."