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Brandon Marshall Gives New York Jets Elite Receiving Corps

By Maxwell Ogden

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For years, New York Jets fans have been begging and pleading with the front office to land a star-caliber wide receiver. The likes of Jerricho Cotchery, Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes have been provided in previous seasons, but Jets loyalists have rightfully asked for more.

Over the past calendar year or so, New York has done the unthinkable: it’s built an elite receiving corps.

In 2013, New York made the intriguing decision to sign Eric Decker, who was fresh off of a Super Bowl appearance with the Denver Broncos. In his first season with the Jets, Decker overcame quarterback inconsistency to record 74 receptions for 962 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games played.

That laid the groundwork for this year’s stunning acquisition.

In a move that stunned the NFL community, the Jets landed one of the greatest wide receivers of this generation: Brandon Marshall.

New York didn’t have to give up much to bring Marshall in from the Chicago Bears.

That’s a good way to make noise.

For his career, Marshall has 773 receptions for 9,771 yards and 65 touchdowns. He’s a 6’4″ and 230-pound monster who, at 30 years old, is still more than capable of producing at a high level.

In 2014, Marshall had 61 receptions for 721 yards and eight touchdowns in just 13 games played. That may not seem like much, but similar to Decker, Marshall endured a dreadfully inconsistent season on his quarterback’s behalf.

With New York in line to either draft, sign or develop a quarterback this offseason, both players could return to the form they’ve previously shown.

Dec 28, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Eric Decker (87) runs for a touchdown during the second half against the Miami Dolphins at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The X-Factor for New York is the embattled Percy Harvin. There are inevitable concerns about how he and Marshall will coexist in the same locker room, but no one in their right mind can deny their talent.

Between the two, and with Decker serving as a top-tier red zone threat, New York will have an army of immensely talented playmakers.

It’s relatively fair to believe that neither Decker, Harvin nor Marshall are true No. 1 receivers after their 2014 seasons.  All three suffered statistical drop-offs, and Harvin and Marshall both have off-the-field red flags.

What’s undeniable is that, as a unit, they have all of their bases covered.

Nov 9, 2014; Green Bay, WI, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall (15) during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Green Bay won 55-14. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

If nothing else, Marshall is one of the best big-play receivers in the NFL. His catch radius is as massive as any player’s in the league and, even in a down 2014 season, he still caught eight touchdowns in 13 games played.

Geno Smith struggles with accuracy, but Marshall has a long track record of making quarterbacks look good by turning certain incompletions into unbelievable receptions.

Thus, my remaining belief that he’s a No. 1.

Decker had his issues in 2014, but he closed out the regular season on a tear. He had 10 receptions for 221 yards and a touchdown in Week 17 and came up with at least six receptions for 89-plus yards in three of his final four appearances.

With 37 touchdowns over the past three seasons, it’s quite clear that Decker can find the end zone.

Dec 7, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Percy Harvin (16) rushes against Minnesota Vikings safety

Harrison Smith

(22) in the first quarter at TCF Bank Stadium. The Vikings win 30-24. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Harvin is the major question mark, but he’s also the ultimate game-changer. When he’s focused and healthy, there aren’t many players in the NFL who can do what he does.

Harvin was an MVP front-runner before injury in 2012, made a massive impact in Super Bowl XLVIII and had a pair of 100-yard receiving games in his eight appearances with the Jets in 2014.

With it being almost impossible to comfortably throw double-coverage at one receiver while leaving the other two on an island, Smith or whomever else takes snaps under center will have an elite receiving corps to work with.

The question is, can head coach Todd Bowles—who has worked with the likes of Bruce Arians, Bill Parcells and Andy Reid—keep these combustable elements intact?

Perhaps most importantly, can the Jets find a quarterback to accurately throw passes their way?

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