In case you’ve been living under a rock the past couple of weeks, the New York Jets are cleaning house and gearing up for a rebuild. The latest player to fall victim to Gang Green’s swift axe was wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who was released by the team Thursday. The good news for Marshall is that there will be a huge market for his services. Here are three teams that need to give the Pro Bowl wide receiver some serious consideration in the offseason.
3. New England Patriots
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New England is coming off its fifth Super Bowl win in the Brady-Belichick era. Adding Marshall would put the Patriots that much closer to make a run at a sixth Lombardi Trophy. With Martellus Bennett likely on his way out of town, Marshall would not only fill the hole, but add a whole new dimension to the Patriots receiving corps. This is a great fit for the 32-year-old Marshall, who wants to win a championship before the window closes on his prime.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
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The Steelers came oh so close to playing in Super Bowl LI, losing to the Patriots in the AFC Championship game. Adding a veteran talent like Marshall might be just the thing to push the Steelers into the Super Bowl in the 2017-18 season. Can you imagine the havoc Antonio Brown and Marshall would wreak on defenses opposite each other on the field? Meanwhile, if Le’Veon Bell were to go down as he did in the conference championship, Marshall is another receiving option that can alleviate the pressure on Big Ben. If Pittsburgh can find the cap space this is a no brainer.
1. Oakland Raiders
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The Raiders suffered the most devastating injury of last season when Derek Carr went down just before the playoffs. Even with Carr healthy, it would have been a tough road to the Super Bowl in the AFC. With Latavius Murray testing the free agency market and the jury still out on whether Michael Crabtree can replicate his 1,003 yards and 8 touchdowns from last season, Marshall could be a great addition to Oakland. He’d bring a veteran status that the young Raiders could use in a Super Bowl run and is still more than capable of putting up 1,000-plus yards. The Raiders should give Marshall a serious look.
Final Thoughts:
The key for a deal working between Marshall and any of the above listed teams is both sides being willing to sign a short term contract. Considering that Marshall’s and these teams’ championship goals appear to be aligned, it’s a good likelihood that such a contract agreement can be reached. That’s a very frightening prospect for the rest of the NFL!