NFL: Wait continues in Maclin mystery

BETHLEHEM – Even though a family member promised the shroud of mystery cloaked over the health of Eagles wide receiver Jeremy Maclin would be lifted Tuesday, the wait continues.

Despite Andre Maclin, Jeremy’s brother, telling The Sporting News Monday that his brother’s condition would be revealed Tuesday, it didn’t happen.

While the Maclin family remained mum, the Eagles didn’t offer up any help either.

Continuing their shuffle-ball-change around the subject, the Eagles decided not to say much about the Maclin situation.

“We’re still waiting on tests to come in,” coach Andy Reid said. “When we get them we’ll let you know.”

Pressed further about Maclin’s health and that of defensive tackle Mike Patterson, who at least has been running conditioning drills while recovering from a seizure that may or may not have been the result of a brain condition, Reid again laced up the tap shoes.

“We’re being cautious with both (Patterson) and Maclin,” Reid said. “We want to make sure everything is done and cleared up. I know they both can play football. I understand their talents. Let’s take care of the other stuff and make sure they’re o.k.”

Despite all the activity surrounding the Eagles at this year’s unique training camp, the biggest story at the beginning and end of the three-week session at Lehigh University remained the same.

Maclin never practiced with the Eagles and although he spent a week with the team at Lehigh, he flew home to St. Louis midway through camp and has not been back since.

He is currently on the Reserve-Non-Football-Related-Illness list.

Maclin has not spoken publicly at all about his condition, leading to a lot of unfounded speculation. The truth was expected Sunday after Andre Maclin said his brother was “fine,” that he was “confident” Jeremy would play for the Eagles this season and that everyone was under a “gag-order” until Tuesday.

Except, it appears that gag-order wasn’t lifted.

Still, Maclin’s teammates remained optimistic about his return.

“That would be great (to get him back),” Michael Vick said. “Not just because Jeremy’s an outstanding football player, but because we love Jeremy as a person. Just to get him back and have him around would be a confidence-builder for us knowing he’ll be back down the road. Having him part of something that we’re going to try to make special… we’ll see what happens.”

Reid did say earlier in camp that he’s optimistic Maclin would be available for the season opener – in his hometown of St. Louis – but the longer this delay goes on, the more unlikely that scenario will be without some sort of conditioning.

Maclin reportedly dropped 15 pounds in the offseason after a bout with mononucleosis. That alone would be enough to create a need for an extensive conditioning program, never mind adding in whatever is keeping him away from football now.

Yet the optimism abounds. Just ask running back LeSean McCoy.

“It’s just a matter of when (he gets back),” McCoy said. “We all know how good a player he is and also he’s a good friend to a lot of guys on this team. (Right now) we’re just missing the spark that he brings.”

That spark is productivity.

In just his first two seasons in the NFL, Maclin, 23, has 125 catches for 1,726 yards and 17 touchdowns, making him one of the most prolific receivers in NFL history – statistically – for someone so young.

His 10 touchdowns last season ranked seventh in the NFL.

The Eagles could use that production to boost the confidence of a receiving corps that too often was on the losing side of battles against Eagles’ defenders in camp – until DeSean Jackson showed up in pads over the weekend.

Before that, the Eagles were getting a lot of reps to Jason Avant and Riley Cooper.

“We totally anticipate Jeremy being part of our football team," general manager Howie Roseman said in an interview on 97.5 The Fanatic Tuesday afternoon. "We anticipate him being back here shortly, with us when we get back to (the) Nova Care (complex).”