(Photo Credit: Bobby O’Hara/PureSportsNY)
The New York Jets didn’t wait to make a splash in free agency this year. A day before free agency even began, the Jets added a new playmaker to the offense. The Jets have agreed to trade for Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall, pending a physical, according to a source. The team is reportedly sending a fifth-round pick in exchange for the receiver, who had been on the trading block.
Marshall will cost $7.7 million against the Jets salary cap for 2015. It’s a move that likely signals the departure of WR Percy Harvin, who was set to make $10.5 million in non-guaranteed money this season.
(Photo: Bobby O’Hara/PureSportsNY)
The 31 year old receiver is an former foe who played on the same Miami Dolphins team that Todd Bowles was part of back in 2010 and 2011. Marshall’s playmaking ability has never been in question, but he has been known as a distraction with every team he has played for. Last year he was heard being part of a post-game rant after a loss to the Miami Dolphins and traveling to the city to appear on “Inside the NFL” each week.
A five-time Pro Bowler, Marshall played most of last season with leg injuries and finished the year on the injured reserve due to fractured ribs and a punctured lung. He had 721 yards receiving in a disappointing season for the Bears. Before last season, he had seven straight seasons of at least 1,000 receiving yards.
Marshall is a consistent receiver who can make plays after the catch, making him a great fit for a team with questions at quarterback. However with no consistent play at quarterback for the Jets, watch out for distractions that may pile up.
The trade cannot become official until free agency opens Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET and will also rely on Marshall passing a physical.
This is the first of what should be many offseason moves for the Jets, who are competing in a division with the Super Bowl champs and two other teams on the rise.