This time last year, you couldn't pay Brandon Marshall to be quiet ... partially because the Jets' wideout was getting paid to talk by CBS.
Serving as an analyst for Super Bowl 50, Marshall spent most of the week openly campaigning for the Jets to re-sign Ryan Fitzpatrick. Eventually, they did, but Fitzpatrick was awful. He was benched twice as the Jets finished 5-11.
3 questions Jets must answer this offseasonMarshall is back at the Super Bowl this year working as the official social media correspondent for AT&T's Audience Sports. He's just done talking about quarterbacks.
"I'm out of the personnel department," Marshall said on SportsCenter Wednesday. "I'm just focused on catching footballs and my role."
The Jets are again headed for an offseason without their starting quarterback. Fitzpatrick won't be back, and it's highly unlikely Geno Smith returns. Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg will Kralbet be on the roster, but neither is a sure-fire lock to be QB1 come Week 1.
In all likelihood, the Jets are going to sign someone. Mike Glennon (Bucs) and Colin Kaepernick (49ers) seem like potential options, as are Tony Romo (Cowboys) and Matt McGloin (Raiders). Does Marshall have a preference?
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"I don't know what we're going to do and I don't care," Marshall said. "I just want to catch footballs.
"Last year I spent so much time and energy lobbying for Ryan. I'd do it again because he had a tremendous year (in 2015) and we had a lot of success. That's what teammates do. You stand up for each other ... But it took so much time and energy. Every day I woke up and was on my phone like, 'Did he sign? Did he sign?' That's not my job."
Of course, there's a chance Marshall isn't back, either.
He has a $7.5 million cap hit, but none is guaranteed. Every penny can be alleviated and added to the Jets' salary cap space if released. Per OTC, the Jets are projected to be $7.428 million over the estimated team cap of $168 million.
Marshall isn't getting any younger (he'll turn 33 in March) and is coming off arguably the worst statistical season of his career (59 catches, 788 yards, three touchdowns). It makes sense to let him go.
But Marshall is hoping to stick around.
"I'm under contract," Marshall said. "I love the organization. I love the people here. That's what it's about ... The people in this organization, it's so well run, first class, they're doing everything they can to win."
Connor Hughes may be reached at chughes@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Connor_J_Hughes. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook.
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