Just a little over a year ago on April 2nd of 2009, the Denver Broncos made the biggest splash in the NFL offseason by trading their 2008 Pro-Bowl Quarterback to the Chicago Bears in exchange for a mediocre Kyle Orton and a handful of draft picks. And now that we're in the 2010 offseason, just a week prior to the first day of the 2010 NFL Draft, the Broncos put their name in the hat for the biggest offseason move yet again. Yesterday afternoon it was announced that the Broncos had traded their 26-year old WR Brandon Marshall to the Miami Dolphins. In return, the Broncos acquired Miami's 2nd-Round picks in both the 2010 and 2011 NFL Drafts.
The Broncos and their now former talented young wide-receiver haven't always seen eye-to-eye, as Marshall and Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels have had numerous altercations, one including Marshall being benched for the final game of the regular season last year, for failing to arrive for a physical therapy session on time. The Broncos went on to lose the game and ended up missing the playoffs for the fourth straight year. Something else Marshall and the Broncos organization failed to get on the same page about, was their agreement to a long-term contract Marshall had been seeking. A multi-year deal was something the Dolphins had no problem agreeing to, as both ends agreed to a 4-year, $47.5 million dollar deal hours after the trade. The near $50 million dollar deal makes it the richest WR contract in NFL history.
With the acquisition of Marshall, who has caught 100-receptions in three consecutive seasons, the Dolphins are now a threat in both the ground and air attack. Most notably known for executing the wild-cat offense/formation, the Dolphins now have someone who can scare off a defense when passing. After all, Marshall's 2009 season total of 10-touchdown receptions is just two less than the total of the entire 2009 Dolphins team that finished with only 12. Marshall's presence in the AFC East will also guarantee a match-up with New York Jets' CB Darrelle Revis not once, but twice a year. When being asked about facing his new rival and the 2009 AFC Defensive Player of the Year, Marshall joked around by saying, "What's the island called, Revis Island? I just got married, maybe we'll honeymoon there."
Referring to Revis' self-proclaimed nickname for his spot on the playing field "Revis Island" for his ability to play one-on-one with opposing receivers. As Marshall is regarded as one of the top receivers in the game today, Revis is regarded as the best cornerback in the NFL. With both players now in the same division as well as on opposite ends, the match-up between the two is one that many including myself are looking forward to. With Marshall now out of the Mile High City and Brady Quinn in, it'll be interested to see where the team goes from here. Whether or not they're rebuilding is yet to be known, given Marshall is still young himself. But even with the bright young WR now playing elsewhere, will the result turn out to be positive, similar to results of the Cutler trade?
With the way Marshall acted in last year's training camp, batting down passes and punting balls, I'm surprised anyone was willing to make a trade for him. But he did make up for it by contributing to a lot of Denver's early season success. With 5-years on his contract, Miami is praying Marshall doesn't decide to bring that same attitude with him.
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