The best move of the Jets’ offseason came on the side of a field in South Carolina.
Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan was at Clemson’s Pro Day in March when he pulled Bears GM Ryan Pace to the side of the field and negotiated the trade that netted wide receiver Brandon Marshall for a fifth-round draft pick (the Jets also got a seventh-round pick back in the deal).
That trade looks like a steal now as Marshall is putting together one of the best seasons a Jets wide receiver ever has. Marshall has 71 catches for 931 yards and nine touchdowns, putting him on pace to finish with 103 catches for 1,354 yards and 13 scores. The Jets single-season records are 93 catches (Al Toon in 1988), 1,434 yards (Don Maynard in 1967) and 14 touchdowns (Art Powell in 1960, Maynard in ’67).
Even if Marshall’s pace slows, it looks like a sure thing he will be the Jets’ first 1,000-yard receiver since Jerricho Cotchery in 2007.
“Brandon is our go-to guy,” quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said Monday. “He’s a great playmaker. He seems to step up every time we need a play. His football IQ is so high, which is really helpful for a quarterback. That being said, sometimes he’ll tell me my read was wrong or I need to throw it somewhere else. Sometimes the football IQ is too high. He’s not supposed to know some of that stuff as a receiver.”
The chemistry between Marshall and Fitzpatrick would make Walter White proud. The two clicked on Sunday when Fitzpatrick saw the Dolphins covering Marshall with just cornerback Brent Grimes. Marshall finished with nine catches for 131 yards and two touchdowns.
There were not many questions about Marshall’s ability when the trade was made. Despite a down year in 2014 due to injuries, Marshall’s record of productivity was clear. There were questions about how he would fit in the locker room and in New York, but Marshall has not been a problem for the Jets, who have been impressed with how hard he works and how he is often the first one in the building in the morning.
“He brings a great passion to the game. He works hard every single day whether it’s in practice or in a game,” Fitzpatrick said. “He’s always up and in high spirits. He’s a great leader for us, not just because of his passion for the game but because he shows up every day ready to work.”
If you wanted to find one criticism of Marshall this year, it has been the drops. He has eight drops, according to Pro Football Focus. Only Mike Evans and Amari Cooper have more, according to PFF. But if Marshall ends the season with close to or more than 100 catches, you can live with a few drops.
The duo of Marshall and Eric Decker has given the Jets production from the receiver position they have lacked for years. They have combined for 17 touchdowns this year, the most by a Jets pair since 1998 when Keyshawn Johnson (10) and Wayne Chrebet (8) had 18.
This week, Marshall will try to continue his pace against a struggling Giants pass defense. Marshall is embracing the intracity rivalry.
“Because it’s two teams in the same city, it’s definitely a rivalry,” Marshall said Tuesday on SiriusXM. “We definitely want to be known as the best team in New York and we have to go out there and fight for that this weekend.”
Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan was at Clemson’s Pro Day in March when he pulled Bears GM Ryan Pace to the side of the field and negotiated the trade that netted wide receiver Brandon Marshall for a fifth-round draft pick (the Jets also got a seventh-round pick back in the deal).
That trade looks like a steal now as Marshall is putting together one of the best seasons a Jets wide receiver ever has. Marshall has 71 catches for 931 yards and nine touchdowns, putting him on pace to finish with 103 catches for 1,354 yards and 13 scores. The Jets single-season records are 93 catches (Al Toon in 1988), 1,434 yards (Don Maynard in 1967) and 14 touchdowns (Art Powell in 1960, Maynard in ’67).
Even if Marshall’s pace slows, it looks like a sure thing he will be the Jets’ first 1,000-yard receiver since Jerricho Cotchery in 2007.
“Brandon is our go-to guy,” quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said Monday. “He’s a great playmaker. He seems to step up every time we need a play. His football IQ is so high, which is really helpful for a quarterback. That being said, sometimes he’ll tell me my read was wrong or I need to throw it somewhere else. Sometimes the football IQ is too high. He’s not supposed to know some of that stuff as a receiver.”
The chemistry between Marshall and Fitzpatrick would make Walter White proud. The two clicked on Sunday when Fitzpatrick saw the Dolphins covering Marshall with just cornerback Brent Grimes. Marshall finished with nine catches for 131 yards and two touchdowns.
There were not many questions about Marshall’s ability when the trade was made. Despite a down year in 2014 due to injuries, Marshall’s record of productivity was clear. There were questions about how he would fit in the locker room and in New York, but Marshall has not been a problem for the Jets, who have been impressed with how hard he works and how he is often the first one in the building in the morning.
“He brings a great passion to the game. He works hard every single day whether it’s in practice or in a game,” Fitzpatrick said. “He’s always up and in high spirits. He’s a great leader for us, not just because of his passion for the game but because he shows up every day ready to work.”
If you wanted to find one criticism of Marshall this year, it has been the drops. He has eight drops, according to Pro Football Focus. Only Mike Evans and Amari Cooper have more, according to PFF. But if Marshall ends the season with close to or more than 100 catches, you can live with a few drops.
The duo of Marshall and Eric Decker has given the Jets production from the receiver position they have lacked for years. They have combined for 17 touchdowns this year, the most by a Jets pair since 1998 when Keyshawn Johnson (10) and Wayne Chrebet (8) had 18.
This week, Marshall will try to continue his pace against a struggling Giants pass defense. Marshall is embracing the intracity rivalry.
“Because it’s two teams in the same city, it’s definitely a rivalry,” Marshall said Tuesday on SiriusXM. “We definitely want to be known as the best team in New York and we have to go out there and fight for that this weekend.”
