Brandon a big boost for Eli, OBJ
Brandon Marshall said Wednesday that signing a two-year, $12 million free agent contract with the Giants was “all about championships,” and as he elaborated on the pay cut he took to win, it became clear this was not just about a Super Bowl but about the two men who will help Marshall get there: Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. Marshall, who turns 33 on March 23, knows exactly why the Giants wanted to keep the former Jet in New York. He is a 6-4, 230-pound veteran here to “keep defensive coordinators honest” and be a terrific secondary option and complement behind Beckham.
Marshall may have an NFL record six seasons of 100 catches or more on his resume, but he sounds as if he is deferring and willing to fit in, well aware of the pecking order and the sacrifice required for the ultimate goal.
“I just love the guy to death,” Marshall said of Beckham, 24, an acquaintance for two years. “He’s the biggest star in the NFL… I’m just happy I can be on the other side him to pull coverage and make his job easier.”
Manning no doubt has to be thrilled, too, because Marshall’s signing was Jerry Reese making a pure football move to give his two-time Super Bowl MVP quarterback the bigger target he desperately needs — and hasn’t had since the 6-5 Plaxico Burress in 2008.
“Eli was one of the first to hit me up,” Marshall said of Manning contacting him this week. “Eli is already on me about getting together in the beginning of April with a few of the other guys. We’re already planning and working on the schedule to get to work.”
It was refreshing, also, to hear Marshall distance himself from some sort of defined job requirement to mentor Beckham while teammates on the Giants. Marshall described Beckham as a “sponge” constantly seeking advice and improvement. But of mentoring younger receivers Marshall said: “I don’t think it’s something that needs to be forced or planned, but those guys, when they need to, they’ll pull from me in an organic way.” Translation: I’m here to take defenders away from Odell, not to change who he is.
With Beckham, the reality is simple: Reese publicly said two months ago that Beckham needs to “grow up,” and that is up to Beckham. The Giants are correct not to shy away from acquiring a big personality because of Beckham’s mercurial behavior, and signing Marshall also is not — as some are spinning — some grand confirmation that Beckham suddenly has learned all of his
lessons in two months. Marshall does have a history of alleged domestic violence, so this marks another Giants foray into that area after being embroiled in controversy for re-signing kicker Josh Brown last offseason. Marshall was reported to be involved in eight instances between 2006 and 2009, arrested twice with charges dropped. In 2011 police said he was stabbed by his wife, but charges were dropped when Marshall said his wife didn’t do it. Later in 2011 Marshall announced he’d been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. His off-field work since has focused on ending stigmas associated with mental illness.
This is a football move, plain and simple, to complement Beckham. And it is a sound one.
Last year’s hype about an offense with Beckham, rookie Sterling Shepard and a healthy Victor Cruz proved overblown for a variety of reasons: A leaky offensive line, a poor running game, predictable play-calling, the struggles of Shepard and Cruz to get open consistently, and too many Manning turnovers.
But if there was one constant shortcoming from a personnel standpoint tied to the offense’s failures, it was this: a shortage of playmakers, including playmakers who weren’t short. Manning, 36, needs a bigger target in the red zone and on third downs, the latter a concern that coach Ben McAdoo voiced at last week’s Combine.
Enter Marshall, who did not have a strong season with the Jets (59 catches, 788 yards, 3 TDs, eight drops), including a well-documented feud with teammate Sheldon Richardson. Still, Marshall is only one season removed from 109 catches for 1,502 yards and 14 TDs.
It was tempting on Wednesday to rush and nickname the Giants’ offense “Showtime,” given Marshall’s work the last three years on the network’s weekly “Inside the NFL” show and Big Blue’s potential with him on the roster. But then Marshall said he would keep his TV work “limited” as a Giant, shortly after squeezing in his first workout in East Rutherford, filled with adrenaline after inking his new deal.
At least part of Marshall’s motivation to sign with the Giants is no doubt its benefit to his next career, there is no hiding that. But it is also a smart business move for both him and the Giants, and for Big Blue’s top two stars on offense, Manning and Beckham, who needed help — on the field.