Marshalling Marshall

The Miami Dolphins shook up the NFL's AFC East today with the acquisition of star Denver Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall. In the trade deal, the Broncos will get a second-round pick this year and another second-round pick next year. The move -- combined with Miami's desires to jettison Ted Ginn -- instantly makes Miami a force with which to be reckoned on offense. But what exactly can the Dolphins learn from Marshall's experience in Denver? 

Nestled in the Rocky Mountains, dscriber's Juke has paid close attention to Marshall his entire, controversy-laden pro career. We thought it would be nice to pass on some grains of wisdom to Miami fans -- a primer on what to expect with your new stud receiver.

The good: Clearly there's a reason why Tony Sparano and Bill Parcells would give up a second round pick in next week's draft and another in the 2011 draft, and it's not that hard to figure out. Brandon Marshall is a gamer, and is usually a matchup nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators. He has sneaky speed, and at 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, there's a reason they call him "The Beast." He's got three-straight years with more than 100 catches, and is among the league leaders in yards after the catch.

Also, if Ginn sticks around, the Dolphins will have two legit deep-ball threats. Throw Greg Camarillo in the mix, along with the continued development of Chad Henne -- not to mention the running game of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams -- and Miami now has one of the best all-around offenses in the NFL.  

On a personal level, Marshall has done extensive work with kids in the Denver community, and seems to be a nice guy. Most people in Denver believe he's a good person, even if he's had his off-field issues.

The bad: The Miami Dolphins just made a four-year, $50-million bet that Marshall won't revert to the immature, knuckle-head kid that he was from time to time over the last four years. He has a penchant for winding up in the wrong place at the wrong time, mostly of his own accord. He has a well-documented history of alleged domestic violence and run-ins with law enforcement officials and could face a full year suspension if he has any more brushes with the law. In fact, the last major public appearance Marshall made in Denver was as a key witness in the murder trial surrounding slain Bronco Darrent Williams. Marshall admitted that he and his cousin are key reasons why a fight that ended with gunfire and death began in the first place. 

Additionally, Marshall has shown that he has the traits of a diva receiver when things don't go his way. This video of him kicking the ball from a ball boy in training camp last summer is a key example of immaturity and me-first attitude.

Granted, the Broncos were in the process of throwing their own BS at Marshall, but professionals don't handle themselves like that.  

The bottom line: The well-worn sports cliche -- it is what it is -- applies here. Marshall is a Dolphin and the Broncos have two second-round draft picks to prove that they didn't just make a really dumb move. Overall, Parcells and Sparano have shown that they can work with touchy talents with discipline and structure, so things will likely be good between Marshall and the Dolphins. His major problem with the Broncos was the lack of a major deal, and now he has it in Miami. As a long-time Marshall watcher, I think this is a great move for Miami. 

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