Miami Dolphins: Is Brandon Marshall a better option than Clowney?
The thought of Brandon Marshall in Miami will leave a pit in some fans stomachs. Luckily for Miami Dolphins fans, we’re talking the linebacker and not the former wide receiver. While the receiver Marshall has seen his share of ups and downs, the chances the 35-year old free agent wide receiver wouldn’t fit in an already crowded receiver unit. With a surprise cut by the Oakland Raiders, however, there’s no saying the linebacker Brandon Marshall couldn’t be on Miami’s radar.
The Dolphins have been looking to upgrade their linebacker unit for quite some time now. There’s even heavy rumor that they’re in the mix for Jadeveon Clowney who’s lost favor with the Houston Texans and is on their trade block. Clowney is a bit younger than the aforementioned Brandon Marshall but Marshall is still on this side of 30 and could have a few good seasons left in him. The Texans have been reportedly asking for Laremy Tunsil in the deal for Clowney and are even said to be throwing in a 1st round pick to acquire the young stud left tackle.
Spending the majority of his playing career with the Denver Broncos, Marshall would even go on to be part of the Super Bowl championship team and a young team like the Miami Dolphins could use a player with post season experience. Despite Brian Flores having seen many championship runs with his time in New England, the Dolphins lack personnel who have the on field experience to lead the locker room. Brandon Marshall could be a cheaper option if the Dolphins decide to go that way. He’s been relatively uninjured so far in his career while Clowney has had his bumps and bruises along the way.
If the Miami Dolphins want to build for the future like they’ve been saying, it would be wise to kick tires on an older cheaper option rather than give up the foundation of their entire offensive line. The Houston Texans might have offered the house, but by waiting to pull the trigger the Dolphins might have saved themselves some money. On top of that, any other player they might have been trying to use as a bargaining chip now becomes available to shop to other teams to shore up more help. Waiting might be the name of the game, and Miami might have waited long enough to come out ahead. Does Brandon Marshall fit their scheme? Who knows, but he’s almost surely worth taking a look.
Rick ODonnell aka Caveman Rick has many years covering the Miami Dolphins, Sports, and all sorts of movies and television.
