Associated Press

There are often many factors that cause a free agent to sign with a certain team. For Byron Maxwell, there was one big one.

When asked why he chose to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles last season instead of staying with the Seattle Seahawks, the 28-year-old cornerback gave an honest answer.

"Cash flow, all day," Maxwell said, per James Walker of ESPN. "They were close. But I can't make that back in my lifetime. So I had to go."

Maxwell played in 47 games over four years with the Seahawks, moving into the starting lineup in 2013 while showcasing his ability in a loaded secondary. He started in the team's 2014 Super Bowl win as well as the 2015 loss to the New England Patriots.

The ensuing spring, the cornerback cashed in with the Eagles to the tune of $63 million over six years with $25 million guaranteed.



After one unsuccessful year with the team, Maxwell was traded to the Miami Dolphins alongside linebacker Kiko Alonso. He was forced to restructure his contract with his new team, although he will still make $17 million over the next two seasons.

While this was probably not part of his plan, he gets a chance for a fresh start with a new team.

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Maxwell's first game with the Dolphins will also be an interesting one. Miami travels to Seattle for Week 1, representing the cornerback's first regular-season appearance at CenturyLink Field since leaving.

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"Obviously, this is big for me, just because of the relationships I have on the other side of the field," he said, per Walker. "I want to win even more so than any other game. It's going to be fun though."

The biggest challenge might be facing former teammate Russell Wilson, who is one of the most elusive players in the NFL. While he does have experience competing against the Pro Bowler in practice, that won't help him much.

"Practice is totally different than the game," Maxwell said. "Russ, I don't want to say he's a gamer, but the things he can do don't necessarily show up in practice. He can escape, and that's a big part of his game. He's special as far as that."

Although he is just one player on the field, Maxwell will try to do everything in his power to stop Wilson and give the Dolphins a chance to pull off the upset.

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