Ravens plan to use Jeremy Maclin out of the slot

Jamison Hensley of ESPN reports that the Baltimore Ravens plan to use newly signed wide receiver Jeremy Maclin in the slot often this upcoming season after the team lost their three most-used slot receivers.
WR Steve Smith Sr. retired this past offseason, WR Kamar Aiken signed with the Colts in free agency, and TE Dennis Pitta re-injured his hip in OTAs which led to his release.
Maclin began running at least 20 percent of his routes from the slot in 2012, and he has led his team in yards per route run from the slot every year he has been active since then.
The former Missouri Tiger had only three drops over a three-year span (2014-2016) when running his routes from the slot, the least by a WR to qualify all three years.
The best season a Ravens slot receiver has had in terms of yards per route run was in 2016 by Smith (1.81). Maclin has outperformed that in three of his past four seasons he has played.
Maclin’s 12 touchdowns from the slot since 2014 are fourth-most in the NFL, his slot TDs account for 60 percent of his touchdown production in that time.
The Ravens WR group has accounted for 14 touchdowns from the slot during that span.