Jets Acquire Diva Brandon Marshall from Bears

Less than a week before free agency begins, the Jets have decided to join the NFL trading block party by agreeing to terms on a trade with the Chicago Bears that will bring Brandon Marshall to the Big Apple.

On the surface this trade sounds great. Marshall is a five-time pro bowl wide receiver, is a big target at 6'4", and has had seven 1,000 yard receiving seasons in his career. Pairing him with Eric Decker, on paper is very formidable, and if the Jets ever do get a quarterback they could have a dynamic passing attack. And all the Jets gave up for Marshall with a fifth round pick.

That being said, Marshall does carry a lot of baggage. Last season the Bears rewarded him with a three-year $30 million extension and he decided to commit himself to part-time media career, serving as an analyst on Showtime's Inside the NFL, rather than being on the practice field. Add injuries to the list and Marshall had one of his worst seasons of his career with only 721 receiving yards and eight scores.

He's also had a laundry list of legal trouble that dates back to his college days at UCF. In 2012, he was accused of punching a woman in the eye socket at a New York night club, although the investigation came up negative. Other alleged charges on Marshall include: assault, drunk driving and domestic violence.

In 2011 it was revealed, after an altercation with his wife, by which Marshall was left with a stab wound to his stomach that he suffered from borderline personality disorder. He has tried in recent years to soften his image becoming an advocate for mental awareness.

The Jets will be Marshall's fourth team. He started his career with the Denver Broncos before being traded to the Dolphins in 2010. Two years later he was on the move again, this time via a trade to the Bears. In each stop either his salary cap number or personality stamped his ticket out of town.

The Jets hope that the New York spotlight is not too bright for Marshall and that he can continue to be a dynamic force on the football field. He did work with Todd Bowles when they were in Miami, so perhaps Bowles can be something of a calming force for him.

The Jets need this to work. They have been looking for a dynamic play-maker at wide receiver since they split with Santonio Holmes a couple seasons ago. Also, with Demarious Thomas getting franchise tagged by the Broncos, the options on the market for a wide out were thin at best. 

It should be fun to see how the duo of Marshall and Decker work out on the field. If all goes well, the Jets will have that potent air attack that they have waited years for.