With rumors swirling around Marcus Maye’s availability, there’s a chance the safety starts the 2020 season in a uniform other than Gang Green’s.
The safety is said to be on the trade block, per the Daily News, as Joe Douglas looks to find as much value from his current roster as possible. Maye, despite coming off a bounce-back season after missing most of 2018 with injuries, appears to be potentially too expensive as well as expendable with the impending mega-extension of Jamal Adams and the selection of safety Ashtyn Davis in the third round of the 2020 draft.
It’s unclear which teams have or will ask about Maye, but there are clubs out there with needs at safety. Douglas said he’ll always pick up the phone when a team calls about a player, and it appears he’s listening intently when it comes to Maye.
With that in mind, here are four potential landing spots for Maye.
Dallas Cowboys
Everyone and their mother knows the Cowboys covet Jamal Adams, but Maye could be another intriguing option for Dallas. Their current starting safeties, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Xavier Woods, are good, but both could be out the door after the 2020 season. Clinton-Dix signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys this offseason and Woods, similarly to Maye, is in the final year of his rookie contract and could command a big payday in 2020 after his best season as a pro.
The trio of Clinton-Dix, Woods and Maye would allow new coach Mike McCarthy to properly evaluate and decide the best tandem for his deep secondary without breaking the bank for someone like Adams.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles need a free safety after Malcolm Jenkins left for the Saints in free agency and presumed starter Rodney McLeod might not be the best option for Doug Pederson’s defense. Maye would offer a great pairing with Jalen Mills in the deep secondary and give the Eagles a one-year evaluation of one of the better young safeties in the league.
Joe Douglas could easily work out a deal with his former team if the offer is right.
Washington Redskins
The Redskins thoroughly upgraded their defensive line this offseason after drafting Chase Young second overall. Maye, meanwhile, could be the final piece to completing Washington’s secondary alongside Landon Collins. Sean Davis signed a one-year deal to play free safety for the Redskins this season, but he’s coming off a season-ending shoulder injury that forced him to miss 15 games.
Maye and Davis are similarly-built players with similar experience which would give the Redskins a perfect one-season look at which player is worth retaining after 2020.
Atlanta Falcons
With Drew Brees and Tom Brady in the division, the Falcons need to upgrade their pass defense to stay competitive in the NFC South. Maye would be a massive improvement over the Falcons’ current free safety, Ricardo Allen, who posted a 58.7 Pro Football Focus grade in 2019, compared to Maye’s 74.6 grade.
Atlanta already drafted A.J. Terrell to beef up its secondary and Maye would be a low-risk solution to helping strengthen it even more on a one-year rental.
