Wide receiver Brandon Marshall hopes to return to the Jets for his age-33 season in 2017, but the feeling might not be mutual. The Jets would have dealt Marshall by the Nov. 1 trade deadline had they gotten adequate draft pick compensation in return, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. The club was 3-5 at the time, meaning its playoff chances weren’t completely dead, but it’s now 4-10 and likely at the start of a rebuild. As a result, Marshall could be an offseason cap casualty for New York, which would save $7.5MM and incur no dead money in 2017 by releasing him.
If Marshall does hit the free agent market, Mehta floated the idea of the former Bronco, Bear and Dolphin joining the Patriots.
“That’s intriguing, but that wouldn’t be my team. I would be a rental player,” Marshall responded.
By signing with the Patriots, who are perennial contenders, Marshall would likely give himself an opportunity to experience postseason football for the first time. Marshall has played 166 career regular-season games without a playoff trip, which is the longest individual drought in the league, and told Mehta that making the postseason is his “top priority.”
“But there’s two things that make it really difficult,” he added. “One, I love it here. And two, I don’t want to be a rental player for anyone. So, I don’t want to jump ship and take the easy route and go somewhere where I’m just a rental cop for a year or two and I’m not a core guy. I want to do it being a big part of the puzzle.”
Given his age, it could be difficult for Marshall to end up as a long-term core piece anywhere, but he revealed that he expects to play into his “late 30s.”
After torching opposing defenses for 109 catches, 1,502 yards and 14 touchdowns last year, the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Marshall has taken steps backward this season, though quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick and Bryce Petty haven’t helped his cause. Marshall has caught only 57 of 124 targets for 760 yards and three scores, and he’s tied for the NFL lead in drops (eight). That’s not a new issue, however, as Marshall ranked toward the bottom of the league in drops (10) during his excellent 2015.
Despite his less-than-stellar year, Marshall would surely end up a sought-after target on the market if the Jets were to release him. He’s just 61 catches from 1,000 and 18 touchdowns from 100 in what could be a Hall of Fame career. Along the way, Marshall has exceeded 100 catches in seven different seasons and 1,000 yards on eight occasions. Not bad for someone who hasn’t exactly played with great quarterbacks during his career, though he could have a chance to join a team with a high-end signal-caller in the offseason.
Dang pats need him now!
Still a beast, just needs a better QB.
He issued a challenged to Antonio Brown this year and he hasn’t caught 60 passes or has 1000 yards yet wow. I think he would be one of the best if he had a QB. But don’t issue a challenge when you don’t have a QB. Brandon u just lost your Roll’s Royce
Brown has the Rolls Royce, and I don’t think Brown made the bet.
I’d love to see him go to the Vikings, who could use a big and experienced wide receiver to complement Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen and mentor Laquon Treadwell.