Buccaneers: Stay Away from Brandon Marshall
Despite the talent, Brandon Marshall would not be the right idea for the Buccaneers.
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The Buccaneers are looking to add a wide receiver, with a decent chance to add one in the free agent market. It’s no secret that the team needs a secondary weapon on the outside. Mike Evans draws a lot of attention because the opposite side doesn’t have a viable option.
Vincent Jackson is not likely to return, and he didn’t do much when he was available in 2016 anyway. There has been talk about Alshon Jeffery. It seems the rumors are heating up regarding DeSean Jackson, as the Bucs may be the favorites to land him.
This week, a new name has come into the picture, Brandon Marshall. He was released by the Jets this week, at his request, and is looking for a team. Anthony Pugliese of Sports Talk Florida believes that Marshall could be a good short-term answer. It gives the team the chance to use Marshall now while they draft a raw wide receiver that needs time to learn and grow.
I completely disagree, and believe Marshall is not the right idea. Jason Licht, do the team a favor and stay away.
Let’s look at a comparison between Marshall and Evans for a second. Mike Evans stands at 6’5″ and weighs in at 231 pounds. Marshall stands at 6’4″ and weighs in at 229 pounds. Marshall’s career yards per catch average is 12.8 while Evans’ is 15. Evans has averaged nine touchdowns per season and Marshall has averaged nearly eight.
Is there a point to my comparison? Sure is. Mike Evans and Brandon Marshall are both possession receivers. Their game is the short to intermediate pass plays. They are the tall targets in the red zone. In short, their games are exactly the same. They need a speed receiver, one that can take the top off of the defense. That player is DeSean Jackson, not Brandon Marshall.
Marshall also has a history of being difficult in the locker room. He had issues in all of his stops prior to New York, and last season, his dust up with Sheldon Richardson caused problems that some players say divided the locker room.
Marshall is a talented player, but this is not the type of situation the Bucs need inside their locker room. They need players that move together on the same page.
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Do you guys agree? What do you think of Marshall? Sound off in the comments.