With the New York Jets acquiescing to a full rebuild, it was just a matter of time before wide receiver Brandon Marshall was on the street. The Jets had already booted Darrelle Revis and Nick Mangold and seeing the writing on the wall, Marshall went ahead asked the Jets to put him on the street early. Thursday they did.
For one of the best wide receivers of his era, Marshall has a weird resume. Maybe one only shared by another former top wideout, Terrell Owens. Marshall has played for four different teams, five when he’s surely signed in the first week of free agency.
The @NYJets are moving on from WR Brandon Marshall: https://t.co/2wxNcRNc0N (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/ZhGcVsok13
— NFL (@NFL) March 3, 2017
Like Owens, the reason (at least early) for Marshall was that he was a head case. Unlike Owens, Marshall recognized his problem and got help not long after getting stabbed in the stomach by his wife. He was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder in 2011 and has worked to promote education and treatment of that disorder ever since. Needless to say, once he started treatment Marshall’s off-the-field issues disappeared and he became a model NFL citizen. He’s even landed a nice little TV gig on Showtime’s Inside the NFL for the last two seasons.
Marshall’s brain getting fixed had no effect on his production as a wide receiver. He’s played at an elite level since his second year in the league, crossed the 1,000 yard mark eight times and scored double-digit touchdowns four times. Just two seasons ago, his first with the Jets, Marshall caught 109 passes for 1,502 yards and a league-leading 14 touchdowns.
New York’s dumpster fire year affected his stats in 2016. He played in 15 games and caught 59 passes for 788 yards and three touchdowns. Marshall will turn 33 years old this month.
Brandon Marshall Best Fits: Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Ravens, Washington Redskins, Arizona Cardinals
Alshon Jeffrey found himself in a similar situation with the Chicago Bears. The team is in a full rebuild mold and had no desire to spend the franchise tag tender it would take to keep him, making him a free agent in about a week.
"Whatever the next chapter is, I'm ready for it."@TheWorldof_AJ wants to sign with contender: https://t.co/1rXkCQSVmx pic.twitter.com/N6XUyBw1jl
— NFL (@NFL) March 3, 2017
Unlike Marshall, Jeffery is in his prime, but unlike Marshall, he’s also been hurt and suspended over the last two seasons. After putting together back-to-back 1,000-yard plus campaigns, Jefferey missed seven games with injuries in 2015 and was suspended for using PEDs for four games in 2016. It should be noted that even with Chicago’s own ridiculous QB situation, Jeffery still performed at an incredibly high level. In his nine games in 2015 he caught 54 passes for 807 yards and four touchdowns. In 12 games last season, Jeffrey had 52 catches for 821 yards and two touchdowns.
Jeffrey just turned 27 and will likely need a monster contract to sign with whoever ends up grabbing him. There’s every reason to think it’ll take $16 million a year at least to add him to a team’s roster. Jeffrey has publicly stated he’d like to go to a “contender,” but the problem with contenders is they rarely have that kind of cap money to toss around.
Alshon Jeffery Best Fits: Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints
DeSean Jackson has been an impact player since he was drafted into the league out of California back in 2008. Like Jeffrey, his health in some years is pretty much all that kept him from putting up 1,000-yard seasons every year. In 2016, Jackson caught 56 passes for 1,005 yards and four touchdowns and led the league with 17.9 yards per catch. It’s the third time Jackson has led the NFL in YPC.
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Jackson just turned 30 and probably has one more decent contract in him. He averaged $8 million a year over the last three seasons and if he stays in that range, he should have plenty of suitors out there. The irony of the end of Jackson’s time in Philadelphia is it was for a perceived “off-the-field” problem discerned by then head coach Chip Kelly. It was a problem that never seemed to show up before under Andy Reid or again under Jay Gruden.
DeSean Jackson Best Fits: Philadelphia Eagles, San Diego Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Ravens
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