How much longer until kickoff?

Next week, the NFL will slow start to trickle out some more of it's smack into the veins of those of us helplessly addicted to their product, via the NFL draft. But this morning, we got to spike a pure tar like hit into our mainline via the news that our Miami Dolphins are acquiring Brandon Marshall from the Denver Broncos. Hold...let us just push the plunger....


Ahhhhhhhhhh....

The Dolphins pay a steep price by today's standards, a 2nd rounder in next week's draft and a 2nd rounder in 2011, but they are getting arguably the most physically gifted wide receiver in the NFL. Marshall is 26 years old, 6'4" and 230 lbs. Last season he caught 101 for 1,120 and 10 tds, 2008: 104 for 1,265 and 6 tds, 2007: 102 for 1,325 and 7 tds. He's got a career 12.3 ypc average. He is, in one word: stud.

A lot has been made of Marshall's off-the-field troubles and his run-ins with new Broncos coach Josh McDaniels. Our opinion of Marshall softened after reading this article by Denver Post beat writer Mike Klis. It softened more when we found out that maybe those run-ins with McDaniel had as much to do with McDaniel as with anyone. Afterall, it was McDaniel, not Marshall, that once went 3 weeks without talking to his teams star QB.

Last season, the NY Jets gave up a decent WR in Chansi Stuckey, a decent backup/ST LB in Jason Trusnik and a 3rd (that could become a 2nd, but did not) and a 5th rounder for 27 year old Braylon Edwards. Edwards is 6'3" 215 lbs and his best season came in 2007 when he caught 80 for 1,289 and 16 TDs. He hasn't come close to that since. He averages only about 46 grabs per season. So in other words, Miami paid a premium, but gets a younger, bigger and more consistent player. Given the Trifecta (Ireland, Tuna and Sparano) have had dealings with divas like "MeShown" Johnson and TO, it's safe to say they should know how to judge good divas versus bad. Plus, Miami's new DC Mike Nolan spent last season in Denver, so it's a pretty safet bet that Miami had a better grasp of Marshall than others did.

All in all...we're ready for some football!