Chicago Bears 2012: How Good Are They with Brandon Marshall?
Published by Joshua Moeschl on March 15, 2012
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
The easy answer is good to very good. This team fell apart late last season because of injuries. If Jay Cutler didn’t break his thumb, they might have gotten into the playoffs. Superstar running back Matt Forte went down late as well.
Since coming to Chicago, Cutler has been vocal that he needs a No.1 receiver. The team signed Roy Williams, but he was worse than he was in Dallas, as hard as that is to believe. Bringing in Brandon Marshall is a genius move. It is a good move under normal circumstances, but getting him for two third-round picks is absolute insanity. Either the Dolphins’ brass hated him, or they’re not telling the Bears something.
It is certainly possibly Miami was sick of the headaches. From the personality disorders to the arrests, Marshall is usually up to no good off the field. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Miami thought unloading Marshall might entice Peyton Manning to look their way.
Marshall will give Cutler the big target he has been looking for. He can get himself open, especially against bump-and-run man coverage. He’s physical enough to get off the line quickly and will be open 90% of the time on those short slant patterns.
The Bears are a legitimate playoff team with Marshall. They still have the NFL Draft in April and free agency to make some other small additions. The defense in Chicago should be better if Marshall and Cutler are keeping the Bears’ offense on the field more. Urlacher and Briggs are aging quickly, so any more rest they can get during a game is a big help.
The real question will be: Can Marshall work with Cutler? The two had well-documented issues while in Denver, ultimately leading to Marshall getting the boot to Miami. I think both players have matured a bit, at least professionally. They’re also getting into the outer edges of their prime, and should be able to sense that Super Bowl opportunities are going to begin slipping away.
This is a good move for Chicago and will help them compete in a tough NFC North division.
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