When the Jets traded for wide receiver Brandon Marshall just before the start of free agency, they acquired a player with obvious talent who also has a penchant for trouble-making.
(Yes, I'm aware that sweeping all of Marshall's transgressions into a catch-all euphemism like "trouble-making" can have the effect of watering them down, especially since Marshall's got more than one domestic violence allegation buried somewhere on his scouting report. But I really need to get to the point here.)
The Jets simply did what NFL teams often do: They weighed the opportunity cost of Marshall's transformative ability against his penchant for causing problems, even among his teammates. (In Marshall's defense, he does have borderline personality disorder, and his advocacy on behalf of mental illness is admirable.)
"We have people who personally have history with him," general manager Mike Maccagnan said. "We researched him thoroughly."
Those "people who personally have a history with" Marshall include Jets head coach Todd Bowles and receivers coach Karl Dorrell, who were assistant coaches on the Dolphins during Marshall's time there. Marshall is already on record with his deep admiration for Bowles. One other person who likely has some understanding of Marshall is Rex Hogan, the Jets' new senior director of college scouting. Hogan had previously worked in the Bears' scouting department, so even if he likely didn't encounter Marshall directly, he no doubt has entree to plenty of people who did.
Maccagnan said the Jets pounced as soon as it became apparent the Bears were looking to deal Marshall.
"It happened kind of quickly, but we felt, really from a value/return standpoint, we thought that gave us the best option to add a player of Brandon's caliber to our organization" Maccagnan said. "I think it was, in my mind at least, kind of an easy decision to make when we went through the process."
There's a less-than-encouraging parallel to draw from the Jets' recent experience with wideout Santonio Holmes, a former Super Bowl MVP with the Steelers who proved to be more trouble with the Jets than he was worth, especially after the Jets gave him a big contract. (Holmes is now a free agent reduced to doing Google hangout interviews to plead his case from what looks like the spartan bedroom of some condo somewhere. Yes, Santonio. Your injuries are why teams have stopped calling. Sure thing, dude.)
But, three things:
1. Marshall is not Holmes (obviously, but you get my drift). Nothing guarantees that the Jets' experience with him will be the same as it was with Holmes.
2. The Holmes-Jets situation was two general managers and another head coach ago. This is an entirely new oufit now.
3. Marshall is essentially on a prove-it contract. He's guaranteed to make $7.5 million in base pay this year, plus a $200,000 workout bonus, per overthecap.com. But that's it: If Marshall proves to be too much of a headache, or if his trouble-making—there's that phrase again—outweighs his performance, the Jets can void the final two years of his deal outright.
Time will tell soon enough if Marshall is worth the risk.
