After working out for the 49ers recently, Marshall auditioned for the Bears on Monday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The 31-year-old linebacker has spent the offseason training in hopes of resuming his career, and he may be on the verge of receiving an opportunity.

A Super Bowl starter alongside current Bears linebacker Danny Trevathan with the 2015 Broncos, Marshall signed a subsequent extension to stay in Denver. He lasted three more seasons with the team, but injuries restricted him over the life of that contract. The Broncos cut bait in 2019. Although Marshall signed with the Raiders later that year, injuries again impeded him. The Raiders cut him ahead of the ’19 season.

Marshall has 63 starts on his resume, working his way from fifth-round pick to key cog on one of this era’s premier defenses. In an effort to ignite his comeback bid, Marshall attended a late-May showcase for NFL scouts in San Diego. That effort appears to have worked, but Marshall’s return to the league will hinge on his health. He missed five games in both the 2016 and ’18 seasons.

The former Jaguars draftee, however, has three 100-tackle seasons on his resume. And the Bears have seen both their starting inside ‘backers — Trevathan and Roquan Smith — battle injuries during their time as a duo. Chicago still has Christian Jones in place as a backup but has not addressed the position in the draft since 2018.

Marshall, 32 in September, was a key player for one of this century’s defining defenses. He started all 19 games the 2015 Super Bowl champion Broncos played and was a five-season first-stringer in Denver. In the 2016 offseason, Marshall inked an $8MM-per-year extension to stay in Denver. However, injuries plagued the veteran linebacker for much of that deal. The Broncos released Marshall in 2019. He then hooked on with the Raiders, but that didn’t last long thanks to an injury.

The veteran made the rounds last year, including a tryout with the Texans. To date, he has 418 tackles, 28 tackles for a loss, nine quarterback hits, 6.5 sacks, 21 passes defensed, two interceptions, and four forced fumbles to his credit.

Former Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall is visiting the Texans, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. This marks the first Marshall-related news this offseason. He has not played in a regular-season game since his five-plus season Denver tenure ended after the 2018 slate.

Marshall, 30, was a key player for one of this century’s defining defenses. He started all 19 games the 2015 Super Bowl champion Broncos played and was a five-season starter in Denver. In the 2016 offseason, Marshall signed an $8MM-per-year extension to stay in Denver. However, injuries plagued the veteran linebacker for much of that deal. The Broncos released Marshall in 2019.

While Marshall’s 2019 Raiders stay did not work out, with an injury ending that brief partnership, the Texans have shown interest at multiple junctures. They worked out Marshall last season. A Houston pact would surely mean Marshall would compete for a depth spot behind starters Benardrick McKinney and Zach Cunningham.

Johnson returned to practice in mid-October and will likely make his debut in Week 10. The Raiders placed their fourth-round pick on IR just before the season’s outset. A facial fracture and concussion shelved Johnson, but he will join fellow rookie Trayvon Mullen in a revamped Oakland corner corps.

Marshall re-signed with Oakland last week but was not active for the Raiders’ Week 9 game against the Lions. The former Broncos starter dealt with knee trouble this offseason but has since recovered. Although Marshall is a vested veteran, post-trade deadline rules stipulate he must be placed on waivers.

The Raiders traded Gareon Conley to the Texans just before the deadline and are now using Mullen and Daryl Worley as their starters. The team has not featured a reliable secondary, though, so Johnson will represent an intriguing depth piece.

The current Raiders linebacking corps is not as deep as the one Marshall was part of during training camp. Vontaze Burfict is out for the season. Justin Phillips is also out for the year, leaving the Raiders with just four off-ball linebackers healthy going into Week 9.

Marshall’s lone episode on Hard Knocks featured his release, and the longtime Broncos linebacker was told a reunion was possible once he healed up. The 30-year-old defender battled a knee injury during the early part of camp but participated in a Texans workout in September.

Following Super Bowl 50 and Danny Trevathan‘s exit, the Broncos gave Marshall an $8MM-AAV deal. Injuries intervened, however, and led to Denver releasing its five-year starter earlier this year. The eighth-year veteran will attempt to stick around with the Raiders this time.

The Texans will host Marshall for a workout, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). The workout will happen on Tuesday. Marshall originally entered the league as a fifth-round pick with the Jaguars back in 2012. After bouncing between their active roster and practice squad, Marshall was scooped up by the Broncos. Marshall spent the next six seasons in Denver, and became a big part of their defense.

From 2014-2017, Marshall started almost every game for the Broncos. He won Super Bowl 50 with the team, but then began to fall out of favor with the front office. Last season he appeared in only 11 games and made seven starts, and after the season the Broncos informed him they weren’t picking up his option for 2019. He got a one-year deal worth up to $4.1MM from the Raiders, but failed to make the team.

Marshall, who compiled 102 tackles and three sacks in 2017, was supposed to boost a linebacker group that also added Vontaze Burfict on a low-cost deal. For one reason or another, he couldn’t stick.

Marshall battled through injuries during the 2018 season and appeared in just eleven games. He finished out the campaign with only 42 tackles, his lowest total since he became a starter during the 2014 season.

Still, the former fifth-rounder has shown that he can be a difference maker when he’s at full strength – Marshall finished with at least 100 tackles in each of his three healthiest seasons.

Marshall met with the Raiders on Thursday and, like Isaiah Crowell, quickly agreed to a deal with the club. There’s no word on his guarantees just yet, but Marshall has some decent upside in his contract with the Raiders.

Marshall, who compiled 102 tackles and three sacks in 2017, would help a linebacker group that recently added Vontaze Burfict on a low-cost deal. And, like Burfict, he could be a solid value for Oakland. Marshall battled through injuries during the 2018 season and appeared in just eleven games.

Marshall finished out 2018 with only 42 tackles, his lowest total since he became a starter during the 2014 season. Still, the former fifth-rounder proved that he can be a difference maker when he’s at full strength – Marshall finished with at least 100 tackles in each of his three healthiest seasons.

Marshall, who compiled 102 tackles and three sacks in 2017, would help a linebacker group that recently added Vontaze Burfict on a low-cost deal. And, like Burfict, he could be a solid value for Oakland. Marshall battled through injuries during the 2018 season and appeared in just eleven games, so his stock is far from its zenith.

Marshall finished out 2018 with only 42 tackles, his lowest total since he became a starter during the 2014 season. Still, the former fifth-rounder proved that he can be a difference maker when he’s at full strength – Marshall finished with at least 100 tackles in each of his three healthiest seasons.

The Ravens have also expressed interest in the ‘backer, who turns 30 in September.

The 29-year-old was set to earn $9MM with the Broncos in 2019, but the team decided to not pick up his option. Since that time, only the Raiders have been definitively connected to the defender. However, reports indicated that five anonymous teams were interested in the veteran.

Marshall battled through injuries during the 2018 season, limiting him to 11 games. He ultimately finished the campaign with only 42 tackles, his lowest total since he became a starter during the 2014 season. Still, the former fifth-rounder proved that he can be productive when he’s at full strength, as the linebacker finished with at least 100 tackles in each of his three healthiest seasons.

The Ravens have lost a trio of linebackers this offseason in C.J. Mosley, Terrell Suggs, and Za’Darius Smith. The team has naturally been in the market for reinforcement at the position, and they’ve already added Ejuan Price and Matthew Thomas to their corps.

He does have a concerning injury history, but Oakland has very little firepower in its LB corps, and Marshall, who compiled 102 tackles and three sacks in 2017, would represent an immediate upgrade if he can stay healthy.

Vontaze Burfict would also represent an upgrade, and the Raiders, never a club to shy away from controversial players and big personalities, may also may be interested in the recently-released linebacker, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Bengals cut Burfict today after a seven-year run that included one Pro Bowl berth and a whole host of fines and suspensions, and though he may have lost a step or two, there is clearly a need for someone of his ability in Oakland.

In addition to their interest in Marshall and their potential interest in Burfict, the Raiders have also hosted Manti Te’o and Aaron Lynch, as Rapoport observes. Te’o, who just finished a two-year pact that he signed with the Saints in 2017, saw action in just five contests (two starts) last year, compiling 18 total tackles, but he did start 11 games in 2017 and played reasonably well. Plus, he is still only 28, and he would likely welcome a chance to sign with the Raiders given the playing time that might be available for him.

Unlike Burfict and Te’o, Lynch is an edge defender who can line up at DE or OLB. He was in for about 1/3 of the Bears’ defensive snaps in 2018, and he recorded three sacks in his 13 games played (three starts). The Raiders need someone who can get after the quarterback, and Lynch did post 12.5 sacks over his first two years in the league with the 49ers. At 26, he could be a low-risk, high-reward acquisition.

While Barr is expected to help the Jets’ edge rush, he is also viewed as someone who will play off the ball, Mehta notes, comparing the latest high-priced Gregg Williams chess piece to Jamie Collins — the Browns’ off-ball ‘backer who would rush quarterbacks as well. However, it sounds like Barr — a UCLA edge defender — will see more time in rush roles than Collins did.

Here is more from the Jets’ first day of unofficial free agency and the latest from Giants headquarters:

• A third Josh McCown Jets season could occur, with the team maintaining some interest in the soon-to-be 40-year-old passer backing up Sam Darnold, per SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano. But McCown released a statement Monday night indicating he is undecided on continuing his career, which could put the Jets in the market for another backup.
• One of those options figures to be Ryan Tannehill, given his three-year run with Adam Gase in Miami. However, the soon-to-be-released quarterback has not come up in Jets meetings about filling their QB2 role, per Mehta. Tannehill could command a higher-end backup salary, like McCown, due to his extensive run as a starter. But he has not proven he can stay healthy since his knee troubles began in 2016.
• A Mosley backup plan may be former Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall. The Jets expressed interest in the longtime Denver starter, according to Vacchiano. This would also point to Lee not being in the team’s plans any longer.
• A third Morris Claiborne contract will not be on the Jets’ agenda, despite their need at corner, Vacchiano adds. Claiborne’s past two free agency stays ended with Jets deals; the veteran corner will likely have to seek his latest contract elsewhere.
• The Broncos just reset the right tackle market, with their four-year, $52MM deal for Ja’Wuan James, and that should drive up the price for Daryl Williams. The Giants are likely to express interest in the former Panthers starter, Vacchiano notes. But as was the case with former Dave Gettleman find Andrew Norwell, whom the Giants tried to sign last year, Williams probably won’t come cheap. That said, Norwell and James were coming off healthy seasons; Williams missed almost all of last season because of leg injuries.
• Big Blue, per Vacchiano, also inquired Monday about former Redskins outside linebacker Preston Smith, who is one of this market’s top edge defenders. The Giants just traded Olivier Vernon to the Browns and have a massive need on the edge. But Smith will also be a coveted commodity on this market.

• The Giants have interest in Cardinals free agent Markus Golden, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). As per usual, free agent pass rushers are expected to cash in big, so Golden could be looking at a substantial deal. Giants defensive coordinator James Bettcher coached Golden in Arizona in 2016 when he notched 12.5 sacks, so it’s a logical fit.
• The Broncos placed a call on Malik Jackson after his release from Jacksonville, a source close to the player tells Mike Klis of 9News (on Twitter). However, the Broncos didn’t really need Jackson, and they have placed a greater emphasis on finding a nose tackle. Jackson, of course, inked a three-year, $30MM deal with the Eagles this morning.
• Five teams are interested in Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall, according to ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson (on Twitter). As previously reported, Marshall’s option for 2019 will not be exercised.

“We’re going to take the best player on our board when the pick comes up,” the source said. “Period.”

Of course, that quote indicates that the team won’t specifically target a quarterback, but it also shows that the team will be flexible heading into the draft. As Miller notes, the Broncos have been connected to Missouri quarterback Drew Lock, although the prospect isn’t projected to be a top-10 pick (Denver’s slotted in at the 10th-overall pick).

Let’s check out some more notes out of Denver…

• The Broncos will be searching for some help at cornerback this offseason, according to ESPN’s Jeff Legwold. Bradley Roby, Tramaine Brock and Jamar Taylor are all set to hit free agency, meaning the team will need to search for someone to play opposite Chris Harris. The veteran defensive back recognizes that his team will be seeking reinforcement in the secondary, and he’s confident that new head coach Vic Fangio will help to revitalize the entire unit. “It’s like I’ve said, I think we just haven’t evolved here,” Harris said. “You know, after the Super Bowl [in 2016], it’s like we kind of just got stagnant. We haven’t evolved. We’ve got to evolve with everything … get better as players, all of us. I just think this past year we were kind of behind.”
• We learned yesterday that the Broncos weren’t going to be picking up linebacker Brandon Marshall‘s option, making him a free agent. The 29-year-old emerged as a starting-caliber player during his tenure in Denver, and he’s been productive in both a 4-3 and 3-4 scheme. Marshall believes that versatility will help him as he searches for his next gig. “I think that’s going to help me a lot (in free agency),” he told Ryan O’Halloran of the Denver Post. “I was in a 4-3 my first year starting in Denver and playing a 3-4 will let teams know I can do it all.”
• Back to Flacco, we heard earlier this week that the team doesn’t intend to re-work the veteran’s contract. The 34-year-old is under contract in each of the next three seasons at base salaries of $18.5MM, $20.25MM, and $24.25MM, although none of that money is guaranteed.

Free agency officially kicks off on March 13, but Marshall’s injury history could force him to wait a week or two before landing anywhere. If he does sign quickly, it’ll be for a lesser sum than the $7MM he was set to earn in 2019 with Denver.

Marshall, 30 in September, was injured for much of the 2018 season. He finished out with just 42 tackles in eleven games, giving him his lowest number of stops since becoming a starter in the 2014 season.

The Broncos inked Marshall to a four-year, $32MM extension in the summer of 2016, tacking multiple years on to his RFA tender season. After he finished out with 102 tackles, it was an easy decision for GM John Elway & Co. But, given his injuries in 2016 and 2018, the Broncos felt compelled to cut him loose.

“I love the organization, they gave me my first chance to play,” Marshall said, via Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link). “I love all my teammates. I really love city. I felt embraced on and off the field. I’m just sorry I was injured two of the last three years. … It’s a really great organization so we’ll see what happens.”