Jeremy Maclin Injury: Struggling Eagles Must Rest Butterfingers WR

Jeremy Maclin has not been the same player this year as he was last year. He has exhibited bad hands via fumbles and drops, throughout the season. What is worse is that these instances have occurred at the most inopportune times for the Eagles.

It is possible that the lackluster performance could be due to the virus that cost him most of training camp and part of the preseason. It is understandable that this could have an effect on him physically and/or mentally this season. 

Right now, the physical issue hampering Maclin is a hamstring injury that Adam Schefter reports has his status downgraded from probable to questionable for this Sunday's game at the Miami Dolphins.

When Maclin is right, he is one of the dangerous weapons the Eagles offense was supposed to have at its disposal; but like most everything else with the Eagles this season, things have not gone as planned for Maclin.

Maclin only has one fumble all season, but it was a huge one. His fumble with 2:06 left in the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers, while the Eagles were driving for the potential game-winning score, was devastating.

Maclin's drop on another potential game-winning drive against the Atlanta Falcons was also huge. He has five drops this season, for a drop rate of around 10 percent, per profootballfocus.com.

That drops total is tied for eighth amongst all NFL receivers. Unfortunately for the Eagles, they also have DeSean Jackson, whose nine drops represents the fourth highest total.

Maclin's overall production is down from last year as well. Even if he were to play in Sunday's game, Maclin is on pace to fall short of his 2010 receiving totals of 70 receptions, 964 yards and 10 TDs.

Mike Vick returns this week against the Dolphins. I think he and the Eagles offense will be just fine allowing Maclin to get back to 100 percent.

Hopefully that renders better results in the clutch, where Maclin has failed this year.