While some teams are trading for future HOF defensive ends, most of us are existing in the doldrums of the offseason. Join us in our quest to provide the best Bears centered topics around. Our next topic?
Who is your favorite Bears WR of all time?
Mine is easy – my former college teammate Brandon Marshall who set the franchise record for most receiving yards (1,508) and receptions (118) in single season.
If you have been around here long enough, you more than likely have seen me talk about how Brandon started at safety in college the year I was
on the team and led the team in tackles. He was a freight train standing 6’5” and weighing 230lb playing safety and I was a walk-on, scout team RB. I could tell stories of taking a hit from Brandon in the B gap that I felt for days or somehow catching a wheel route with him in coverage despite not being able to see the ball until the last nano-second, but this article is about his WR play.
After starting his career in Denver with Jay Cutler, B-Marsh reunited with Cutty in Chicago in 2012 and immediately broke records. Brandon played the position like a LB and it showed in his run after catch and blocking ability. Here he is laying out former All-Pro Sean Lee with a clean block.
And here he is seen high-pointing the football, stiff arming defenders and plucking the ball in tight-coverage.
Though he was not drafted by Chicago and he was only a Bear for three seasons, Brandon Marshall averaged 93 catches for 1,175 yards and 10 TDs a season as a Bear. Only Alshon Jeffery, Darnell Mooney and DJ Moore have come close to those numbers since, and most of them only one time.
While Tom Waddle, Curtis Conway, Rome Odunze and now Luther Burden III all drew considerations here, Brandon was a helluva Bear and embraced the city and rivalry with the best of them. His off-the-field issues have been scrutinized for years but as a pure WR to ever don orange and blue, none brought me more joy and excitement to watch than B-Marsh.
Brandon, if you read this, hit me up so we can get you on our podcast!
What about you, who is your favorite Bears WR of all time?
