Cleveland Browns must refrain from pursuing Brandon Marshall
Even though going after Brandon Marshall sounds tempting, the Cleveland Browns would be smartest to hold on to Terrelle Pryor and keep building through the draft.
The New York Jets released veteran wide receiver Brandon Marshall on Friday, putting a very capable pass catcher on the market. NFL teams including the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots are already showing interest, knowing that adding a 6-foot-4, 229-pound weapon on the outside could be a season-changing move.
The Cleveland Browns have the same decision ahead of them in whether or not to look into bringing in Marshall. But unlike contending teams, Cleveland would not benefit from Marshall as much as his multi-million dollar contract would be worth.
It’s hard to argue with Marshall’s stats. The 32-year-old has not really showed signs of slowing down as his career has progressed, surpassing the 1,000-yard mark in eight of his 11 seasons. In 2016, Marshall was less of a target than in seasons past with the Jets, but was still able to record 59 receptions totaling 788 yards with Geno Smith, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Bryce Petty at quarterback.
This accurately sums up the two major positives of Marshall which would make him an attractive fit with the Browns. His athletic ability, without a doubt, is the most obvious. But fans must remember that Marshall’s success at the receiver position has come with mediocre at best quarterbacks throwing to him throughout his entire career.
With the Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears, and the Jets, it would be safe to conclude that the best quarterback Marshall ever played with has been Jay Cutler. For a Browns team without stability at the quarterback position, this experience would serve all involved well.
So why shouldn’t the Browns be all over Marshall? He seems like the perfect fit in a lot of ways. And he might be, if the Browns were in any position to contend.
Unfortunately though, the reality is that Cleveland isn’t going to realistically contend, even after making a splash in free agency. If numerous factors came together simultaneously and the team’s fortunes did a complete 180 in 2017, maybe. It is really unreasonable to write off an entire season before it begins. But the Browns’ organization is playing the numbers, and the numbers don’t look good.
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Unless he were to help lead the Browns to the playoffs, or become some super mentor, or stick around for five years, all of which are incredibly unlikely, adding Marshall will be counter-productive. He will only serve as another large contract to pay off, and the Browns would run the risk of having another ridiculous distraction get in the way of their rebuilding process.
Marshall may have a solid season or two statistically, but how much would this actually benefit the Browns? It would limit how much experience the receivers of the future such as Terrelle Pryor and Corey Coleman would be able to gain, and would interfere with the identity the offense is attempting to establish.
Also, as much as Marshall’s experience with instability at the quarterback position as previously mentioned would make the situation more tolerable, it would also make Cleveland an even less desirable destination for the veteran. Does Marshall really want to be involved with a quarterback carousel like the one going on in Cleveland? Does he want to be receiving passes from Cody Kessler, or, even worse, Charlie Whitehurst?
Now, the Browns shouldn’t make this decision completely based on what Marshall wants. But what he wants is going to determine how he plays. Even if he is convinced to sign with the Browns because of money, his dedication to the organization will be in serious question. After the 11 seasons Marshall has played in the NFL, he no longer has anything to prove. The former Jet who has never been to a Super Bowl may have other aspirations on his mind at this point.
Instead of pursuing free agent veterans like Marshall at skill positions, the Browns should build through the draft and find true talent they can develop. It would be best to save their cap space for veteran defenders or offensive linemen to provide the right circumstances under which the young skill position players can grow. This foundation will help the quarterback position, and everything else will fall into place more easily.
It is always tempting when a household name enters the market. While there are times to go after veterans, this is not one of them for the Browns when it comes to Brandon Marshall.
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Cleveland is in the early stages of rebuilding, but they do have a clear direction. Wavering from the path they are going down by signing Marshall can only lead to more frustration in the long run.