GM Ryan Pace is a restless soul. At least when it comes to churning his Chicago Bears roster. Few men are more active at trying to find upgrades for his team, no matter how small and no matter the time of year. This is proving true yet again as the Bears continue to meet with potential help on the defensive side of the ball. In this case longtime veteran inside linebacker Brandon Marshall.
Adam Schefter revealed that the Bears brought the 31-year old in for a workout. This offers an indication they might not be overly satisfied with their depth at the position despite adding familiar face Christian Jones a few months ago. Given their desire for competition, it shouldn’t be a huge surprise. Marshall was a good player a few years back though he hasn’t started a game since 2018. He was released by Denver in early 2019 and bounced on and off the Oakland Raiders roster after that. It isn’t clear why he disappeared last year. One must surmise he chose to opt out due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He’s certainly back in the public eye now.
Former Broncos’ LB Brandon Marshall worked out today for the Bears, per source. He also recently worked out for the 49ers.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 14, 2021
Marshall had some good years during his time in Denver. He was a key part of that historically great defense in 2015 when the Broncos won the Super Bowl. From 2014 to 2017, he topped 100 tackles in three of four seasons and also had 6.5 sacks in those three seasons. So he’s a capable run defender who doubles as an effective blitzer. Though knocked for a general lack of athleticism, Marshall had coverage prowess too.
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Though not known for picking off a lot of passes, he did have two interceptions and 20 passes defended in that same stretch mentioned above. He’s a smart player. Unfortunately, he has limitations that likely played a role in him failing to land another starting job after leaving Denver. As a backup though? The Bears could do a lot worse. He has a ton of experience and fits best in the type of 3-4 system they play.
If Chicago Bears sign Marshall, the ILB spot gets crowded
It is no secret the team will enter 2021 with Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan as the starters. What isn’t clear is who will be backing them up. That duty was held by Joel Iyiegbuniwe and Josh Woods last season. Neither really stood out during their limited opportunities on the field. They were soon joined by Jones, fellow veteran Austin Calitro, and undrafted rookie Caleb Johnson.
Having an interest in Marshall would suggest the Chicago Bears defensive coaches would prefer more starting experience in the mix if possible. Jones is currently the only one of those five who has started more than a handful of games. His legs should also be fresh after a full year away from football. It certainly couldn’t hurt giving him a look.
Attrition will be even more apparent in the NFL moving forward.
The league chose to adopt a 17-game regular season format this year. Combine that with an expanded postseason as well. That is a lot of physical football to be played. While star power is great, the teams that tend to have the best depth will likely go the farthest.