After losing Jermaine Kearse and Paul Richardson in less than a calendar year, the Seattle Seahawks are entertaining the idea of making a splashy move to bolster their receiving core.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Seahawks are kicking the tires on veteran receiver Brandon Marshall, who was recently waived by the Giants due to a failed physical designation.
Marshall, 34, endured a rough, injury-riddled 2017 season with the Giants, appearing in only five games while recording 18 receptions for 154 yards and no touchdowns. New York hoped teaming him with fellow star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. would elevate the team’s passing attack to become one of the finest in the NFC, but both players wound up on injured reserve before the midway point of the season and the experiment didn’t work out.
Despite his struggles over the past two seasons with the Jets and Giants, Marshall has enjoyed a highly-successful, yet controversial 12-year career. The six-time Pro Bowler amassed over 100 receptions in seven different NFL seasons and surpassed the 1,000 yard receiving mark in eight separate campaigns. He’s currently ranked third among active players for career receptions (959) and receiving touchdowns (82).
Even on the downside of his career, adding this production alongside Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett would instantly improve Seattle’s starting lineup at receiver on paper.
Off the field, however, Marshall has dealt with his fair share of legal issues in the past and been a source of locker room dysfunction at previous stops. Despite being one of the most productive players at his position for over a decade, he’s bounced around with five different teams and never stayed with a team longer than four seasons, burning plenty of bridges along the way.
Based on his history and diminishing athletic skills, Marshall would present a major risk for Seattle, as coach Pete Carroll has already cleaned some big egos out of the locker room this offseason. Though his 6-foot-4, 229 pound frame still allows him to win jump balls and provide a legitimate red zone weapon for the Seahawks, would he be worth the potential trouble?
If the Seahawks believe Marshall will be willing to take a discount and trust he will be under his best behavior, a deal could make sense at a position of need for the franchise, especially after failing to select a receiver in this year’s draft. But this could also be a prime example of general manager John Schneider simply leaving no stone unturned.
