Beyond the Hype: Just How Good Is Brandon Marshall?

We've all heard the buzz surrounding Brandon Marshall this off-season. Is it legitimate? Deserved?

On the Dolphins' side of the fence, it has been mostly optimistic talk about how much a weapon like Marshall can act as a multiplier on his teammates' stats, and finally give this offense the quick-strike capability it has been lacking for what seems like ages.

Still, many outsiders believe that there is a folly in taking such a large gamble on the receiver--pointing to off-the-field troubles in the past, as well as his continuing health issues. Brandon has now undergone surgery on both hips. 

Tony Sparano went on record in March stating that the Dolphins had no interest in the wide-out, mentioning him in the same breath as Terrell Owens. Four months later, we're hearing talk about the "Marshall Plan".

It's no secret that Bill Parcells is not big on "trouble-players" either, and yet the Dolphins were ultimately willing to sacrifice quite a bit to bring Brandon to Miami.

Okay, so we have received a few mixed signals.

I thought a good place to go for added perspective on Marshall, was to an avid Broncos supporter, someone who had closely watched him work for four years. I got in touch with fellow Bleacher Report writer Reid Brooks , in order to gain a better understanding of just what Miami should really expect.

In so many words, he assured me that the Fins' faithfuls will be pleased with the deal that was made, and expressed his own disappointment over losing such a weapon. While I expected more negatives, his description of Marshall coincides with everything we've heard thus far--

"What you have to understand about Brandon is that he will go up to make big plays constantly, reel in catches that he simply shouldn’t make, and on top of that, he is pure danger after he brings the ball in...the guy is a beast."

Marshall's character issues seemed to be of secondary importance in Brooks' analysis.

So what do other players think about "The Beast"?

Well-respected cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha has called Brandon Marshall one of the toughest players to tackle one-on-one in the open field. He is a "defensive lineman playing wide receiver".

This seems a fair assessment. Watching this guy after the catch is a bit like trying to follow the action on a pinball machine at full tilt-- if pinballs just so happened to knock over everything in their path.

There was also a definite twinkle in Chad Henne's eye, when asked how he felt about the new addition, in his first interview following Miami's acquisition this spring.

Historically, providing he can stay healthy and active, Brandon Marshall is on pace to become one of the best wide receivers ever to play in the National Football League. After only three years as a starter, he became one of only a few players ever to log three consecutive 100+ reception seasons. He has consistently been among the league's leaders in YAC, and managed well over 1000 yards in each of those three years.

To put that in perspective-- over a twenty year career, Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice recorded 100+ reception seasons just four times-- and he did it with Joe Montana.

Marshall has put up his impressive numbers with comparatively un-impressive quarterbacks like Jay Cutler and Kyle Orton. It's worth mentioning that historically, both QBs enjoyed noticeably boosted stats during seasons spent on a roster that included B-Marsh.

To paraphrase fictional news anchor Ron Burgundy-- Brandon Marshall is kind of a big deal.

Chances are, his 21-catch performance against the Colts in 2009 is not going to be his last trip to the record books. If he manages a fourth straight 100+ catch season, it will tie him with Marvin Harrison for the NFL record.

All in all, I tried to find some kind of substantial evidence that the hype surrounding Brandon Marshall was false, but to no avail.

As it turns out, Dolphins fans are legitimately excited about welcoming their new star wide receiver to Miami, and while only time will tell the story of the Beast's success with the Fins, the future is looking decidedly bright.

If you think you've heard a lot about Marshall now, just wait until September.

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