BIG BLUEPRINT
Brandon Marshall has a plan in place for what his time with the Giants will look like over the course of his two-year contract.
Play two seasons. Make the playoffs for the first time in his 12-year NFL career. And win the Super Bowl before walking away from the game to focus on his mental health advocacy organization, Project 375.
“It’s two years,” Marshall said after speaking about mental health at the Health and Fitness Expo at MetLife Stadium on Saturday. “I just decided that last week. Two years, get my Super Bowl, have a little bit more fun, and then change the world in the mental health space.” No pressure then. Marshall, who signed with the Giants in March after spending the previous two seasons with the Jets, never has been shy about saying what he feels.
He has critiqued the way the Bears handled former teammate Jay Cutler, has proclaimed he would “go down in the boat” with Ryan Fitzpatrick and has dared Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown to outplay him during a challenge that involved the betting of cars.
But this time, Marshall was measured in his tone. He didn’t make the statement lightly or without thought, and he showed a belief that the Giants have what it takes to win the Lombardi Trophy.
“I definitely think we have a team that’s going to be in position to win a Super Bowl,” Marshall said. “It’s extremely hard to win a Super Bowl. I’ve been in the league for 12 seasons now on some really good football teams, some really great organizations, and I haven’t been to the playoffs. That tells you how hard it is to make the Super Bowl. So I don’t throw that around lightly.”
In truth, Marshall has reason to be optimistic.
He joins an offense that already includes the electric Odell Beckham Jr., last year’s rookie slot receiver Sterling Shepard and recent first-round draft pick Evan Engram. Beckham has been dynamic even without another No. 1-type wideout next to him, grabbing 35 touchdowns and making 288 catches over his first three NFL seasons.
Add in Marshall, who has tallied 12,061 receiving yards and 82 touchdowns, and the offense should produce more than the 19.4 points per game it did last season, which ranked 26th in the league.
“I think we are going to be good, but it’s all about putting the work in,” Marshall said. “It’s how good can we be. We can have all the talent in the world with great coaches, but then it becomes the work portion.”
That work was started by general manager Jerry Reese following the team’s elimination at the hands of the Packers in a 38-13 wildcard rout at Lambeau Field.
The Giants already had a solid defense in place — ranking No. 3 in the NFL against the run, allowing just 3.9 yards per carry and holding a burgeoning star in the secondary in Landon Collins — but needed al- terations on offense.
That is where Marshall and Engram come into play.
The Giants hope Marshall can help take some of the double coverages off Beckham while also giving Eli Manning the type of big target he has missed since Plaxico Burress. Engram’s speed out of the tight end spot can be another weapon.
“We just have to put on our hard hats, show up every day and be consistent,” Marshall said. “Talent only takes you so far.”
Marshall, however, is hoping it takes the Giants far enough to fulfill his twoyear goal.