Report: Bears Are Trying to Trade Brandon Marshall

The Chicago Bears aren’t done shaking things up quite yet. After overhauling their front office and coaching staff and then announcing a switch to a 3-4 defense, the Bears are reportedly looking to move on from one of their most productive-yet-controversial offensive players.

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Per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, the Bears are actively seeking to trade loud-mouthed wide receiver Brandon Marshall:

"One NFL source said the Bears are shopping Marshall with the idea of moving him. Another source said his belief is the team is taking calls in regard to Marshall. Trades cannot be finalized until 3 p.m. Tuesday.The key date to keep in mind with Marshall is Thursday, March 12. That is when his base salary of $7.5 million for 2015 becomes fully guaranteed."

Biggs says the Bears are believed to be seeking a mid-round pick for Marshall.

A few weeks ago on this very blog we wondered if the Vikings might not take a look at signing Marshall if he ends up being cut. Though Marshall is known as a less-than-great teammate, there is no doubt about what he brings to the field as a receiving target (just ask Josh Robinson).

Of course there’s a difference between signing a player to a free agent contract and trading away a draft pick for the same player. Though Marshall might be worth a look on a low-cost one-year deal, I’m not sure he’s worth trading a 4th or 5th round pick for. And that’s before you even talk about the money situation, which would have to be worked out before any trade could go down (unless you want to pay Brandon Marshall over $9 million for 2015).

I think I know what Rick Spielman’s opinion would be on the matter: no draft pick in exchange for Brandon Marshall. Spielman is not one to give up draft picks (though he has been known to overpay wide receivers in the past)

The fact that Chicago is this eager to move on from Marshall does sort of confirm all the bad things we’ve heard about his locker room presence over the years. If Marshall really is that much of a negative influence, then I’m not sure you’d want him around young players like Teddy Bridgewater and Cordarrelle Patterson anyway.

The good news for the Vikings is that a player who has given them a lot of trouble over the years appears to be leaving the division. I don’t see him winding up in Minnesota when he finally exits the Bears. Maybe he can go back to Denver and be a pain in the ass to Peyton Manning.

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