Just going through my routine site check this morning, and as per usual I stumbled upon ESPN's Rumor Central, only to find yet another Brandon Marshall trade destination, and this time it may make some kind of sense.
Though some on this site have already suggested Brandon to the Buccaneers, I think a trade between Denver and Tampa Bay makes a lot of sense on both accounts.
The Buccaneers are poised to lose leading receiver Antonio Bryant as an unrestricted free agent, and they have absolutely nothing behind him on the depth chart to eventually be a replacement. While the post over at the Tampa Tribune suggests that:
Although he is a tremendous talent, every NFL team knows Marshall wants out of Denver (and vice-versa), so any team interested in him will not have to give up something significant, like a first round pick.
We all know that to be false. I am not suggesting Denver requires Tampa to surrender the 3rd pick in the draft, as that would be unwise on Denver's part, but the Buccaneers have 10 total picks in the up-coming draft, two of which come in the second round.
If you cannot already see where I'm going with this, here is my trade proposal:
Brandon Marshall to Tampa Bay for Two 2nd-round picks (35th, 42nd overall) and 5th-round pick
This trade makes sense to me on multiple levels. The Buccaneers have to be considered a legitimate landing spot for Marshall because they have 10 draft picks, first and foremost. They also have a huge need at the receiver position. This trade would also allow Marshall to return to his beloved state of Florida, but it also gives the Broncos the opportunity to trade him to a far worse situation than he has here in Denver (for whatever that's worth).
Will he get his money? Absolutely, but all joking aside, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a complete joke as of this moment in time. They do have a quarterback of the future they really like in Josh Freeman, and he needs some bigger targets being that he is a bigger quarterback.
This trade makes sense for the Broncos because they rid of a headache, and they have a lot more flexibility in free agency (Denver Post reports the Broncos want this deal done shortly after March 5th free agency start) and the draft.
As many of you know, I've officially jumped on the Tim Tebow train, and while I feel the Broncos should take him while they can get him, I don't rule out the possibility of him being there later when they pick. I simply view Tebow's intangibles as too valuable to let sneak out of the first round, but I will never say never.
If Denver is facing a guy like Rolando McClain, Dez Bryant, or Sam Bradford in the first round, I would absolutely promote going after one. In fact, my final draft board will most definitely have those guys rated higher than Tebow, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't get him later if we can.
If all three of those players are unavailable, there is one player and one player alone I would be understanding of the Broncos taking over Tebow in the first round, and that is guard Mike Iupati of Idaho. Iupati has been one of the more impressive players at the Senior Bowl practices, and many on this site already wanted him before that.
If Denver makes this Marshall trade, they will be far more equipped and prepared for the 2010 draft which is being considered one of the best of all time. They would hold the 10th/11th, 35th, 42nd/44th, and 45th picks in the first two rounds.
Four picks in the top 45 would go a long way to improving this team for the better in the long run. If Denver didn't go after Tebow in the first round, I could see a quartet of picks on the first two days of the draft as follows:
1. Mike Iupati, G, Idaho
2. Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida
3. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida (oddly enough, ranked 42nd on CBSSports.com's NFL Draft player rankings)
4. Arrelious Benn, WR, Illinois
Either way, I feel it is important that the Broncos do make a quick decision on Marshall, and adding two more second round picks would be an ideal way for the Broncos to move on. For all the mock draft fanatics like myself out there, here is another look at a few potential scenarios that could materialize if this trade were made.
1. Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama
2. Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida
3. Brandon LaFell, WR, LSU
4. Jon Asamoah, G, Illinois
1. Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State
2. Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida
3. Brandon Graham, DE/OLB, Michigan
4. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas