Last week, the Jets gutted their roster and seemed to change the entire direction of the franchise. The team continued this movement on Friday after they officially released star wide receiver Brandon Marshall, as per his request.
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| Marshall (pictured) had one season left on his contract |
Marshall originally came to New York in 2015 in a trade with the Chicago Bears. The six-time Pro-Bowler tallied 2,290 total receiving yards in 31 games with the Jets, but his production took a dip this past season. While it could have been a result of a struggling Ryan Fitzpatrick and inexperienced Bryce Petty, Marshall finished with just 788 receiving yards and 3 touchdown catches for Gang Green in 2016-17.
The Jets are clearly entering a rebuild phase and Marshall, soon to be 33-years old, did not fit into their future plans. New York saved $7.5 million by parting ways with the 11-year veteran, who was set to hit free agency after this upcoming year. Now, Marshall will be a hot commodity on the market, and many teams, including the rival New York Giants, are expected to pursue him heavily.
The loss of Marshall leaves the Jets without an experienced number one target, but the franchise has high hopes for both Robby Anderson and Quincy Enunwa. Additionally, New York still has Eric Decker, a proven asset who will be returning from both hip and shoulder surgery.
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| Anderson (pictured) will have an increased role for NYJ in 2017-18 |
Marshall's contributions to the franchise cannot be overstated, as he helped return the team to relevancy in 2015-2016. Along with Decker, the duo had paired up with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to form into an offensive juggernaut to go along with an impressive defense. While the time was short-lived, Marshall's legacy with the Jets should be seen as positive, and his release should be understood by most fans that would like the team to return to a competitive state.
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