WATCH: Signing Brandon Marshall could be worth a flier for the New York Jets
The New York Jets have officially rounded out their roster for the 2019 season, but there’s still one position that should be addressed before their season opener against the Buffalo Bills: Inside linebacker.
Losing Avery Williamson to a torn ACL dealt a huge blow to Gang Green’s defense and unfortunately, their roster lacks a viable replacement. As things currently stand, New York will head into the year with Neville Hewitt projected to start next to C.J. Mosley, which isn’t exactly an ideal situation.
Hewitt has been a rotational player throughout his four-year career and has just 11 starts to his name. The depth behind him isn’t exactly promising either. The other two middle linebackers on New York’s roster are Albert McClellan, who has just 24 starts to his name over the past eight seasons, and an unproven rookie in Blake Cashman.
Needless to say, the above-mentioned trio doesn’t exactly inspire much confidence going forward and an upgrade next to Mosley would prove beneficial. The free-agent market isn’t exactly brimming with talented linebackers right now, but Oakland Raiders castoff Brandon Marshall could be worth a flier.
Marshall was surprisingly cut by the Raiders just five months into the incentive-laden, one-year deal (worth up to $4.1 million) he signed in late March, but his divorce with Oakland was based on timing rather than a perceived lack of talent.
According to Oakland general manager, Mike Mayock, the organization parted ways with the 29-year-old because he took longer than expected to round into form.
Mayock also stated that if the Raiders were to carry four to five linebackers into the season, that extra player would have to contribute on special teams; a role that, based on his contract, Marshall wasn’t expected to play.
Injuries have become an issue over the past couple of seasons, but Marshall is one of the most productive linebackers in the NFL when healthy. The veteran linebacker has three 100-plus tackle seasons over the past five years and has been a Pro Football Focus favorite, grading out as a top-10 coverage linebacker over that period of time.
However, Marshall’s biggest selling point, outside of the kind of production he can bring to New York, is the veteran presence he would bring to the locker room. The 29-year-old was an integral member of the dominant Denver Broncos squad that won Super Bowl 50.
If signed, he would bring a championship pedigree and steady leadership to a young Jets locker room with playoff aspirations.
Marshall is out to prove that he still has what it takes to play in the NFL and the Jets have the perfect reason to sign him to the one-year “prove it” deal that he needs to revive his career. If signing the veteran linebacker to a team-friendly deal pans out early on, Gang Green will be better off for it.
