The Saga Continues...Brandon Marshall

**00Ravens** · 01-29-2010, 03:32 PM

I can't believe I'm posting this, but with Anita Marks gone someone has to keep this compelling debate moving forward.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...-about-future/

Marshall not talking about future
Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on January 28, 2010 3:39 PM ET
Brandon Marshall looks healthy again. The hamstring issue that led to his controversial benching in Week Seventeen has healed in time for Pro Bowl practices.

As the Denver Post points out, it could be the final time Marshall wears a Broncos helmet. While he was reportedly pleasant off the record, the wide receiver thought it was better not to say anything about his future.

"I'm not talking," he said. "I've had enough publicity."

Mike Klis writes that the Broncos are "expected" to trade Marshall soon after the league allows it in early March. Considering Marshall's history, we'd be surprised if things played out so smoothly.

**Mista T** · 01-29-2010, 03:59 PM

Per today's Sun:

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/spor...ens+Insider%29

The Ravens desperately need to upgrade at wide receiver, but a team source said the Ravens would prefer to add a wide receiver in the draft instead of through a trade.

Shocking!

Acquiring Marshall could require first- and third-round picks.

I'd be astonished to see anyone offer that much for a head-case.

**braven98** · 01-29-2010, 04:31 PM

do we need a receiver

...

**Rayvens52** · 01-29-2010, 05:15 PM

I want nothing to with him. I think he is a very good receiver but the asking price is way to much considering we could be heading into a lockout, he is 1 step away from getting suspended, IMO he is just not the right fit here.

**pyite32** · 01-29-2010, 05:47 PM

The Ravens don't give up draft picks like that, and don't take guys with character issues anymore. I would say there is a 99.9% certainty that we do not trade for Marshall.

**The Fanatic** · 01-29-2010, 06:38 PM

I don't ever rule us out regarding trading for anybody.
Not after seeing us actually trade for T.O.

Everybody and their mother knows we need receiver help in a big way.

Hell, we needed before the entire crop we had this past year all became basically free agents now.
As it stands right now, today, we basically have No receivers under contract.

If all of them come back (doubtful), then we're no better off then we were.
Quite frankly, probably worst due to Mason being another year older.

If Mason doesn't come back, then we're really screwed!!

There is no doubt that this front office knows we need improvement and have to get Flacco weapons for him to develop and become what they hoped he'd become when they drafted him.

A chimpanzee could figure this out watching our team.

Decosta was on 105.7 today.
Mike Preston point blank asked him if he (Decosta) thought there were any receivers in this draft class that could come in and make an immediate impact and be there for us at pick #25.

The only guy Decosta named was Dez Bryant and also said he wouldn't be there that late.

Decosta also said that their free agency activity would be minimal at best due to the elite 8 rules.

All this stuff we already know.

So basically they're in between a rock and a hard place here with what they know they need to improve and what will be available to them.

Teams knowing that Denver wants to unload Marshall will be hard pressed at best to cough up a #1 & #3.

If Denver wants to get rid of him that bad they'll take less.

Not that I think Marshall is the best fit here, but in our current situation with receiver, I think you go get him if he's available for less then a #1.

**NC Raven** · 01-29-2010, 08:12 PM

well, i wouldn't expect DeCosta to come right out and say who exactly we might take at 25. I mean, I know it's probably tough trying to duck questions from the expert rhetorical tactician that is Mike Preston

but it sounds to me like he gave the "right" answer.

**RAVENOUS52** · 01-30-2010, 01:45 AM

Well we've already wasted a defensive dynasty for the better part of the decade and it would be a shame to do the same to what could be the rise of Joe Flacco and the Ravens Offense by not providing him with a true #1WR.

Something's got to give... right?:(

**Rxdoxx** · 01-30-2010, 02:23 PM

I can't realistically see Marshall due to "cap"

A 1 year rent-a-player at best IMHO
Now we don't know exactly what is coming out of a new CBA but don't think the owners will budge on total salary number.
That leaves players to sign and Marshall will eat a big piece of the pie, since that seemed to be the source of the rumblings from Denver.
Way too complicated for me to be specific, there will be space coming from Willis, and in the nearer than not future Mason and Lewis...
But there is Flacco, and I sure would love to see Gaither and Oher locked up for a long time.
Home growing/drafting a WR looks to be the only path unless we want to see fractures in other team areas.

I'm with everybody on the crying need for a true #1, and ok with trying for Marshall, but he has to come a lot less than anything involving a #1 draft choice. At the very most a #2 and maybe Willis, anything more than that and I'll pass.
We are a competitive team again. Yes a true #1 seems to be the missing piece, but I just can't see us keeping the nucleus we have built and adding Marshall to the long term mix looking at finances. Otherwise we could look like the Deadskins and their rent-a-Jason Taylor, just not worth the risk to what we now have in place.

**TL24x7** · 01-30-2010, 02:37 PM

We have a poll up on the home page regarding Brandon Marshall. Your vote counts! Thanks for the time and consideration.

**Jeremiah W** · 01-30-2010, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by Rxdoxx

I can't realistically see Marshall due to "cap"

A 1 year rent-a-player at best IMHO
Now we don't know exactly what is coming out of a new CBA but don't think the owners will budge on total salary number.
That leaves players to sign and Marshall will eat a big piece of the pie, since that seemed to be the source of the rumblings from Denver.
Way too complicated for me to be specific, there will be space coming from Willis, and in the nearer than not future Mason and Lewis...
But there is Flacco, and I sure would love to see Gaither and Oher locked up for a long time.
Home growing/drafting a WR looks to be the only path unless we want to see fractures in other team areas.

I'm with everybody on the crying need for a true #1, and ok with trying for Marshall, but he has to come a lot less than anything involving a #1 draft choice. At the very most a #2 and maybe Willis, anything more than that and I'll pass.
We are a competitive team again. Yes a true #1 seems to be the missing piece, but I just can't see us keeping the nucleus we have built and adding Marshall to the long term mix looking at finances. Otherwise we could look like the Deadskins and their rent-a-Jason Taylor, just not worth the risk to what we now have in place.

Its a multi billion dollar monoploly. I never could accept the idea of teams cutting good vet players because they were cap strapped. Dead money, cap hits and contracts written on toilet paper. I want winners not excuses. Find the money, make it work. As long as the Ravens have better front office people, they should never become the Cowboys or Skins just because they spend like them. The problem with those teams is not they spend too much money, it is they spend too much money on bad players and do not find many good cheap players, they burn draft picks and bring in big money free agents and then cut them the next year. If the Ravens were as agressive and creative in spending without making a higher percentage of mistakes than they do now we should be looking at an elite team and not just a contender.

Even when the Ravens get big name free agents, they get the older discount type. They let good players walk out the door every year for more than they are willing to pay. Personally I am sick of the salary cap excuse. I can handle a more understandable budget, but the system they have now where it seems like Dallas spends twice as much as we do sucks, even though the Ravens are better than they are anyway.

As long as there are 32 teams and 53 players, no team is going to be able to build an unbeatable goon squad, and I for one would not mind watching them try. I like college football and do not mind having globetrotters and generals in MLB, it sucks our team is one of the generals but baseball sucks, so I do not see how football could ever become baseball since football does not suck, even college football that has more goon squads and super programs than the NFL could posibly get with 53 man roster limits. The only thing missing is a good playoff system but the NFL already has that. If it breaks down to much into haves and have nots than make a minor and major or A and B, varsity and JV system.

Brandon Marshall is a great Wr and worth a 2nd rounder plus, but that is about it. More than that and we would be better off trading for somone else or drafting our own guy.

Money should not be an issue for the Ravens either way. They have way too many good players locked up on the cheap to cry broke. They have control of all the young guys they are going to want to keep for years to come.