Brandon Marshall apparently loves life in New York City (or New Jersey to be specific). That much seemed obvious after news broke on Wednesday morning that Marshall was just trading the green and white of the Jets for the blue and red of the Giants.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter was first to break the news:
Brandon Marshall and NY Giants reach agreement on a two-year deal, per source. Marshall doesn’t have to move, now plays with Eli and OBJ.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2017
He later was able to clarify the deal, noting it was for $12 million in total.
Giants giving former Jets WR Brandon Marshall a two-year, $12 million deal, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2017
The deal gives Marshall a home with a real quarterback for the first time in his career. He’s gone from Jake Plummer to Jay Cutler to Chad Henne, back to Cutler and eventually to Geno Smith and Ryan Fitzpatrick.
He also will have one of the scariest pass-catchers in the NFL ahead of him in Odell Beckham Jr.
Marshall finished last season with just 59 receptions for 788 yards and three touchdowns. All of those were the lowest totals since his rookie season in Denver back in 2006. Clearly the Giants are betting that one of the most productive receivers of the last decade has more in the tank.
It also is likely a bet that the mess that has been the Jets offense had more to do with his dip in production than the fact that he has played 11 years in the NFL already.
While the Giants and Marshall have agreed to a deal, the actual deal can’t be signed until the start of the new league year. That will happen at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday and when it does the Giants may have one of the scariest 1-2 punches at wide receiver in the NFC, let alone the NFL.
