Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio had nothing but praise for Brandon Marshall — not the Chicago Bears wide receiver, but the Broncos inside linebacker.
Del Rio praised Marshall in the Denver Post for stepping up as outside linebacker Danny Trevathan was out with a leg injury. With how much time Denver’s leading tackler last year has missed, the defensive coordinator couldn’t be more impressed about how great Marshall has been playing.
"“It’s really been a tremendous job by Brandon, stepping in when Danny was out, and the fact that he’s been able to hold up and help us play at a real high level in a big role[.]”"
Trevathan has been injured twice this season. He suffered a leg fracture during training camp and missed the first three games of the season. After the team’s bye week, he returned and the defense had a dominating effort against the Arizona Cardinals.
Dec 7, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos outside linebacker Brandon Marshall (54) breaks up a pass to Buffalo Bills tight end Scott Chandler (84) prepares to pass in the first quarter at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
The tandem of Marshall and Trevathan was only seen for one full game, but the Cardinals offense was held to nine first downs and 215 total yards. Denver even gave Arizona more offensive opportunities by throwing two picks. Trevathan had a team-high seven tackles in the game and Marshall had two.
In the following week against the New York Jets, Trevathan re-injured his leg and has been out since. Marshall took on the leadership role and leads Denver with 109 total tackles. Because of his production, he’s become one of the best linebackers in the NFL.
Marshall is ranked eighth in total tackles and second in the NFL with 88 solo tackles. He sits only behind Detroit Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy with 95. Marshall has also recorded two sacks, nine pass deflections, one interception, and one forced fumble.
The incredible evolution of Marshall’s game this season follows two years where he played in six games and recorded just four total tackles. It’s enough for Del Rio to claim that he’s had a “Pro Bowl kind of year” for Denver.
"“For an inside ‘backer in this league, he’s very productive, very active,” Del Rio said. “He’s had a Pro Bowl kind of year. What happens is you typically wake people up in the first year and the next year they vote for you. But who knows? … He’s been central to a lot of what we’re doing.”"
Marshall doesn’t get as much attention as the wide receiver who shares the same name, but he’s just as vital to the Broncos’ defense. He entered the NFL back in 2012 after being drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth round (142nd overall pick). The linebacker was released three times by the Jaguars, the final being after the 2013 preseason. Denver put him on the practice squad days later, and that decision paid off in the 2014 season.
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