Brandon Marshall: Jets will 'be OK' with Geno Smith or Bryce Petty
Marshall finally seems to be coming around on the idea of playing without Ryan Fitzpatrick. Still, he seems confident Fitzpatrick and the Jets will eventually reach an agreement.
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Finally, after spending months talking about Ryan Fitzpatrick as if he's actually a viable starting quarterback in the NFL (he's not), Brandon Marshall is coming around.
For the first time since IK Enemkpali clocked Geno Smith in the locker room last summer, Marshall is realizing that Smith might not be that much worse of an option than Fitzpatrick. It's taken some time, but Marshall might've finally realized that Fitzpatrick is nothing more than a consistently mediocre quarterback.
Marshall told the New York Post on Tuesday that the Jets will "be OK" with Smith or Bryce Petty under center.
"Just seeing Bryce and Geno grow so much the last year is really encouraging, and I'm just proud of those guys," Marshall said. "We'll be OK."
So, let's state the obvious: Neither Smith nor Petty project as above-average quarterbacks. When Smith's been handed a chance (29 starts, 31 appearances), he's flopped (72.3 passer rating). And Petty is nothing more than a developmental prospect who's never played in a real game.
But, as we've said (too) many times here at CBS Sports, Fitzpatrick is also not a good quarterback, even if he threw a ton of touchdowns last year. At the very least, Smith and Petty are cheaper options.
Still, Marshall has been persistent in his support for Fitzpatrick. Back in March, he filmed a short video with dolls in an attempt to persuade the team to sign him. Together, he and Eric Decker have practically served as Fitzpatrick's unofficial spokesmen this offseason.
Smartly, the Jets won't budge. They appear to agree with our assessment and don't want to overpay for his services. They even drafted Christian Hackenberg in the second round, a move that surprised Decker.
Marshall weighed in on the team's new quarterback on Tuesday.
"I haven't been around Hackenberg much," Marshall said, "but he seems like a pro."
Despite Marshall's confidence in Smith, Petty, and even Hackenberg, it doesn't seem like he's ready to give up on the idea of the Jets retaining Fitzpatrick. Marshall might be coming around to the idea of playing without Fitzpatrick, but he's yet to officially move on.
"It's just business, and every deal is different," Marshall said. "Some deals get done in three minutes or five minutes, while some take longer. And this is one of them. So I'm confident they'll get it done. Ryan is a great teammate and a great leader."
Judging by his previous relationships with quarterbacks (see: Jay Cutler), once Marshall moves on from Fitzpatrick, he'll sever all ties immediately.
