NFL Off-Season Trades: Marshall Lands in Miami

The sports book makers are liking the Denver Broncos less and less these days. First the Broncos give up a franchise QB in Jay Cutler for a good-but-not-franchise QB in Kyle Orton. That seemed to work out well until the second half of the season where the Broncos looked totally lost. Now the sports betting community has to watch WR Brandon Marshall shipped to Miami for a second round draft pick in the 2010 draft and a second round pick in the 2011 draft.

In order to get the trade done the Dolphins had to agree to give Marshall the richest WR contract in the history of the league. Marshall gets a 4 year deal that totals $47.5 million with $24 million being guaranteed. That is more than Arizona superstar Larry Fitzgerald.

Was it the right move? The Broncos actually did pretty well. They got rid of a locker room cancer and troubled kid in Marshall for the chance to draft his replacement this year and next year. The Dolphins get another target for QB Chad Henne to throw to, and added in with Miami’s already potent ground attack this could make the Dolphins a problem for teams in the AFC East.

There was another big trade in the NFL during the off-season that will have long term effects on two divisional rivals. The Philadelphia Eagles traded QB Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins for a second round pick in the 2010 draft, and a third or fourth round pick in the 2011 draft.

This trade by the Eagles is almost a disrespecting of McNabb. The Eagles thought so little of McNabb’s talents that they had no problem trading him to a division rival. McNabb has a lot to prove in the coming season, and he knows it. The Redskins are loading up for the 2010 season by signing RB Willie Parker and a curious signing with QB Rex Grossman.

The trade rumor mill has been going full steam in anticipation of the upcoming NFL draft. It looks like the St. Louis Rams are keeping the first pick overall and will use it on QB Sam Bradford, but no one has confirmed that yet.

One interesting trade rumor involves the Washington Redskins, again, and their prize free agent catch from last year Albert Haynesworth. There were rumors that Haynesworth was initially offered in the McNabb trade but the Eagles did not want him. Now there are rumors that the Redskins may try to trade Haynesworth to the Tennessee Titans, his former team, on draft day for another second round pick.

Another rumor has the Buffalo Bills trading problem RB Marshawn Lynch on draft day for a second or even third round pick. With the emergence of RB Fred Jackson, the Bills may feel that they can draft the second part of their RB one-two punch and get rid of the public relations problems that Lynch could represent.