Source: Yardbarker

Brandon Marshall traded in the snow capped mountains for a hot sandy beach. He’s in the 305, not the 303 anymore. Zip codes aside, it didn’t take long for a deal to be worked out once the Broncos slapped the $2.5 million tender on him. Marshall is probably one happy guy now that he’s back in the same state that he played college ball in, and working for a guy like Bill Parcells who’s willing to take a chance on controversial receivers (e.g. T.O., Keyshawn Johnson, etc.).

“The Beast” however, is going to be tested like never before. Miami where MoneyIsAMajorIssue is similar to Las Vegas where temptation runs rampant. The dollar bill is valued more there than in a city like Denver or Buffalo. I do believe that Marshall is on the right track, but it wouldn’t surprise me if trouble finds him again.   

It was thrilling for the Broncos fans to watch Marshall over the past four seasons. Despite his off the field troubles, he came to play in every game that he suited up for. He wasn’t the kind of guy that took a play off because the ball wasn’t being thrown his way. He will truly be missed by the fans regardless of the organization’s view on him.

I knew Marshall would be leaving the team right after the season ended, but I don’t think it’s all because of the rift between player and coach. The Broncos finished 8-8 as they saw their playoff berth taken from them as easily as it is to take candy from a baby. The team couldn’t score on offense, and was unable to hold anyone on defense. For a guy like Josh McDaniels, who doesn’t shy away from risk, he knew the team needed a core shake up. Not just a shake up, but a 10.0 earthquake rattling destructive force that has been heard across the nation. The aftershocks are still being felt here in Denver as the draft approaches. 

With the trade, the Broncos now have two 2nd round picks (the 43rd and the 45th). They have the 11th pick in round 1. Now that Marshall is gone, the Broncos will probably select WR Dez Bryant from Oklahoma State in the first round. He is visiting the Broncos today (very timely). Let’s hope that he remembers his cleats. I did a post a couple of weeks ago about Bryant.

 ”Bryant has good size (6′2”, 220 lbs) and speed (4.52 in the 40). In 2008, Bryant had 87 receptions for 1,480 yards and 19 TDs. In the three games he played in 2009, he had 17 receptions for 323 yards and 4 TDs. However, one issue that teams are struggling with is his character off the field. Bryant was suspended by the NCAA his senior year due to allegedly training with former NFL player, Deion Sanders.  Additionally, while Bryant was attending OSU, he skipped classes and meetings, and was late to games.”

Many teams see Dez Bryant as a phenomenal talent, but are reluctant to draft him because of a history of problems away from the football field. If we essentially traded Marshall for Bryant, didn’t we just trade in one problem for another? At least in Marshall, we have a guy who knows the system and has proven himself as one of the top 5 receivers in this league. I think Marshall also sowed his wild oats (at least in Denver - Miami is a different story) during his first couple of years in the league. You mean we may have to go through all that again with Bryant?    

 Do I agree with the move? No, not at all. No matter who we draft, our offense just got much worse. We didn’t even attempt to see what would happen with a Brady Quinn-Brandon Marshall combo. Before wheeling and dealing players so quickly, the Broncos need to step back, work with what they’ve got, and then evaluate for the future. Oddly enough, they’re doing that with Kyle Orton (so they say), but why couldn’t they do it with Marshall?

Have thoughts on the trade? Leave a comment below.