The Philadelphia Eagles turned to Mark Sanchez at quarterback after starter Nick Foles went down with a broken collar bone last week. So far, everything is going well. Sanchez threw for 332 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in last night's 45-21 victory over the Carolina Panthers.
But one-plus game is hardly a significant sample size. Sanchez and receiver Jeremy Maclin are both scheduled to become unrestricted free agents this season. The remainder of the season will prove crucial to their value on the open market.
"When Mark took the job with the Eagles it was in part to work with someone considered a good offensive coach and in part because the other jobs did not exist," Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com wrote. "A player of Sanchez' pedigree at the worst will usually earn a few million in free agency to be a backup. In a league where Andy Dalton makes $16 million a year and people believe Brian Hoyer should earn $10 million a season, Sanchez can earn some big dollars if he is successful. If Sanchez gets back to the playoffs with this team his skillset should translate into a very nice contract.
"If he fails? Well then he has to decide if he wants a career earning the minimum as a backup or calling it quits and falling back on whatever money he banked off his rookie contract with the Jets. Most likely if he fails it gives a strong possibility that he is done with the NFL."
Sanchez flamed out in spectacular fashion in New York. He became a punch line instead of a player. Many teams around the league still hold that perception of him. While he' played well in limited action this season - 534 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions -Fitzgerald is right to note that the remaining seven games are a tryout for Sanchez's NFL future.
The rest of the season is also an opportunity for Maclin to continue to add to his argument that he deserves to be paid as a No. 1 receiver once he hit free agency.
"Maclin is having a ridiculous season and is looking to cash in big in free agency this offseason. He was the favorite target of Foles, averaging over 10 targets a game. The big question when it comes to valuing receivers is how much of the production is the QB and how much is the receiver. If Sanchez is successful but spreads the ball around much more it can hurt Maclin's value. If Sanchez completely bombs then a team should question what benefit the receiver truly brings at those costs. He needs Sanchez to play well with a majority of those passes coming to him to continue to solidify that value."
Maclin was outshined by rookie receiver Jordan Matthews last night. Matthews hauled in seven catches for 138 yard and two touchdowns on nine targets while Maclin only mustered three receptions for 38 yards on seven targets. A late season disappearance by Maclin after such a hot start would undoubtedly cost him money in free agency. It's possible that Philadelphia wouldn't mind Sanchez looking other ways in order to keep the price down when it comes time to negotiate a new contract.
The Eagles will next play the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
