Marshall Move Makes Miami Matter

With all the talk of the New York Jets Super Bowl Blueprint, the Dolphins front office laid low in the shadows. The superstars came fast and furious to play under Coach Ryan, with a top 5 cornerback in Antonio Cromartie, the league's active touchdown leader in LaDanian Tomlinson and most recently Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes have made the Jets the only offseason story in town. Until this Tuesday morning. The man who last season set the single game reception total with a lucky 21, changed uniforms to the aqua and orange. New York's nemesis shot themselves right back into the mix with the boldest move the league has seen thus far.

Marshall immediately makes them better at almost every skill position, simply through the attention that the perennial Pro Bowl receiver is going to attract on a down to down basis. Ted Ginn no longer has to try and reach the elite reciever status that he simply doesn't have the skill to obtain and Brian Hartline, Davone Bess and the easily overlooked Greg Camarillo will get the chance to demonstrate their skills in what will almost always be a single coverage set. Ronnie Brown isn't even the best running back on the team, but the All-Pro workhorse will get even more room to breathe. The much improved offensive line will have to live up to their end of the bargain, as Chad Henne will have a tremendously talented target to hit for a gamebreaker on every down.

The Dolphins can no longer be happy about simply winning the season series with the hated Jets. The picture becomes a whole lot bigger when you put a game changer like Marshall in place. As I am writing he signed a guaranteed contract that will feed his family for multiple generations. The league is without a salary cap for the first time in years, but I think his stats warranted the big bucks. Last season, in 13 starts, Marshall reeled in 101 passes for 1,120 yards and 10 TDs and his eight career games of at least 10 catches are the most in league history. Over his four-year career in Denver, Marshall averaged 6.7 receptions per start, which is the second highest in the NFL since 1970, and totaled 327 receptions for 4,019 yards and 25 touchdowns. He is arguably the best reciever in the league, and you will get no argument that he is in the top 3, with Andre Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald on par with his talent.

No matter which side you are rooting for, the Jets or the Dolphins, this mornings moves are a tremendous score for the football fan of any age. Coming to see Marshall is worth the price of admission, and if the Jets are in town you may have to give up an arm and a leg. Are you ready for some football??