Since joining the Denver Broncos practice squad in 2013, after being drafted in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, linebacker Brandon Marshall has done what any new NFL player would do: try to make a name for himself.
To his own unlucky misfortune through Twitter, he has had to consistently correct people confusing him with the very-much-in-the-spotlight former Broncos wide receiver, Brandon Marshall. If last season is any indication of what is to come, Marshall won’t need to be correcting people for long.
The former four-year starter at Nevada has worked extremely hard to be in the position he is today. Marshall spent the first 16 weeks of the 2013 season on Denver’s practice squad before finally making the active roster. Then last year, Marshall exploded becoming a versatile inside linebacker and a tackle machine. The linebacker partnership between Danny Trevathan (currently out rehabbing a knee injury) and Marshall had everyone in Denver excited for the future.
Unfortunately, in mid-December things went sour for Marshall who injured his right foot against the San Diego Chargers. He would miss the final two regular season games and then play through pain in the divisional round playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
With the offseason behind him and OTA’s beginning this week, Marshall looked back at the injury saying, “It’s kind of frustrating, because it was kind of a freak accident,” Marshall said. “I was making a tackle, and the guy just fell on my foot, and it popped. It’s kind of crazy how I played on it in a playoff game, which made me think it was okay, but I knew it was hurting in the playoff game.”
Unable to run as of yet, Marshall can only look on at OTA’s, which is never easy, and see his fellow linebackers getting more work in. Right now he just wants to be a good teammate.
Marshall said, “I thought they looked good. And I sit here and try to help those guys out as much as I can,” Marshall said. “I try to give them some technique points and different things like that, because I want to see everybody do good, honestly. “Obviously, it’s about winning a job, but to me, it’s not about withholding information. I’d rather have a guy know as much as I know, and then we go battle it out mano a mano.”
This embodies everything about Marshall. A guy who has worked for everything in his NFL career, nothing has been given.
When training camp begins in late July, Marshall will be ready to go, stating, “At least I won’t be out for the season. “At least it will be something that, okay, we’ve got to deal with this thing, now, but when training camp comes, I’ll be ready to roll.”
As news hit on Thursday that Ryan Clady tore his left ACL, more news of Broncos rehabbing and getting healthy for the season is a welcomed change.
