Byron Maxwell is reportedly set to sign a year/$63 million contract with a guarantee of $25 million, per Jayson Braddock. Only 4 cornerbacks in the NFL are set at a number greater than $10 million per season, this contract would fit Maxwell into that category with the likes of Darelle Revis ($16 million), Patrick Peterson ($14 million), ex-teammate Richard Sherman ($14 million) and Joe Haden ($13.5 million).
He hasn’t been putting up the numbers to be considered a top 5 paid cornerback due, however he’s solid and very young. The “numbers” are working against Maxwell, and they have been since he started getting on the field in Seattle. On the other hand, he’s a fast and physical cornerback who is very smart and who is a ball hawk type player. He doesn’t gamble every play, but there are no open catches when he’s on the field. He always contests the ball and gives a headache to the opposing quarterbacks, Richard Sherman isn’t the only reason why Seattle was ranked in the top 3 pass defense the past 2 years. Several factors went into that defense, and Maxwell was one of them.
Drafted in the sixth round out of the University of Clemson, Maxwell has been a member of the “Legion of Boom” ever since. In 47 games for the Seahawks, he’s recorded 82 combined tackles, 27 defended passes and 6 interceptions. Although having no sacks in his professional career, that’s just not what Seattle does and neither does Philadelphia. According to NFL.com’s Greg Rosenthal and Chris Wesseling, Byron Maxwell was the 9th ranked free agency player overall and ranked at the top of the free agent cornerback list. He will definitely help out that Eagles’ secondary, which was ranked 31st against the pass in 2014.
He’s coming to Philadelphia in replacement of recently released cornerback Carey Williams. This signing would truly legitimize one side of the defensive backfield, something Philadelphia hasn’t done since the Brian Dawkins era. Maxwell said in an interview that he “…feels he’s a good fit for what Philly is doing, cover 3, man press.”
Byron Maxwell is no comparison to Carey Williams. ESPN had Maxwell graded at an A as a free agent, and currently has Carey Williams rated a C. He will succeed in this offense mainly because of his ability to stay healthy. He had a strained calf injury in 2014 which seemed to sideline him in 3 games, but came back strong the finish out the season which ended in a Super Bowl loss. He should have no problems jumping from the #2 cornerback to the #1 role simply because he was targeted so much
Maxwell’s numbers are somewhat biased due to the fact of who he was playing opposite the field of, the feared Richard Sherman. Byron Maxwell was targeted once every 5,7 snaps last season, but quarterbacks had little success against him, managing only an 81,1 passer rating. Sherman is feared by just about every quarterback who faces him. For example, in the week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay’s Aaron Rogers passed the ball 33 times. Of those 33 balls thrown by arguably the league’s best quarterback, none were thrown on Richard Sherman’s side of the field. This means that theoretically, 75% of those throws went to Byron Maxwell. Seemingly 25% went to the slot receiver and tight ends, which Maxwell wasn’t covering unless they were in a zone defense, then maybe those passes were thrown his way also. He won’t get that kind of treatment in Philadelphia, unless Chip Kelly throws some magic in the air and lands Patriots’ soon-to-be free agent cornerback Derelle Revis on some odd case scenario. If that scenario falls, then Maxwell may be in the same boat he was in Seattle, but confidence has always been on of his main and best attributes. “He’s got a real even-keeled mentality that’s going to really help him throughout his career,” Pete Carroll was quoted in an interview after the Green Bay Packer opener last season.
In his first 6 regular season starts at right cornerback, from week 12 (2013 season) – week 1 (2014 season), he recorded 5 interceptions and defended 12 passes from a fairly stout list of quarterbacks.
Drew Brees – 2 passes defended
Colin Kaepernick – 1 interception, 3 passes defended
Eli Manning – 2 interceptions, 3 passes defended
Carson Palmer – 1 pass defended
Kellan Clemons – 1 interception, 1 pass defended
Aaron Rogers – 1 interception, 2 passes defended
This year will definitely be an interesting year in Philadelphia. Chip Kelly is going all-in, and one should keep an eye on their defense this season, as it is setting up to be a force to be reckoned with. The addition of Byron Maxwell is taking the team one step closer to solidifying the secondary.
Main Photo via AP Photo/Ben Margot
