NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

March 14, 2015

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Table of Contents

ASSOCIATED PRESS ......................................................................................................................................................................... 1

Marshall embraces new opportunity with 'hungry' Jets (Dennis Waszak Jr.) .................................................................. 1

THE RECORD ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Sullivan: Jets, Giants among free-agent winners (Tara Sullivan) ........................................................................................ 3

Brandon Marshall wants to be with Jets for rest of career (J.P. Pelzman) ....................................................................... 5

NEWSDAY.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 6

Brandon Marshall says all the right things on conference call (Kimberley Martin) ........................................................ 6

ESPN NEW YORK.............................................................................................................................................................................. 7

Brandon Marshall , never in playoffs, hungry for championship (Rich Cimini)................................................................. 7

Darrelle Revis' contract welcomes back 24 to the 212 (Rich Cimini)................................................................................. 8

NJ.COM.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 9

Brandon Marshall, who's been traded three times, wants Jets to be his final NFL stop (Dom Cosentino)................ 9

Jets agree to sign free agent safety Marcus Gilchrist, formerly of San Diego Chargers, source confirms (Darryl

Slater) ..........................................................................................................................................................................................10

Jets forget they're located in N.J. with Darrelle Revis contract gimmick | Politi Bits (Steve Politi) ...........................12

How close was Antrel Rolle from leaving the Giants for the Jets? (Dom Cosentino) ...................................................12

Demario Davis led Jets in 2014 performance-based pay (Dom Cosentino) ...................................................................13

NEW YORK POST............................................................................................................................................................................13

Jets swarm Mariota, who would ‘love to pay for’ them (Brian Lewis) ............................................................................13

Brandon Marshall eyes Super Bowl, raves about ‘starting QB’ Geno (Brian Costello) .................................................14

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS ..............................................................................................................................................................16

New Jets WR Brandon Marshall sings praises of Geno Smith, rest of Gang (Seth Walder).........................................16

Marcus Mariota says he’d ‘love’ to play for Jets next season (Seth Walder).................................................................17

NEW YORK TIMES..........................................................................................................................................................................17

Brandon Marshall Hopes Jets Will Be Last Stop (Tom Pedulla) ........................................................................................17

METRO NEW YORK........................................................................................................................................................................18

Marcus Mariota talks potential future with New York Jets (Kristian Dyer) ....................................................................18

FRIDAY’S SPORTS TRAN SACTIONS.............................................................................................................................................19

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Marshall embraces new opportunity with 'hungry' Jets (Dennis Waszak Jr.) Associated Press March 13, 2015

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http://www.pro32.ap.org/article/marshall-embraces-new-opportunity-hungry-jets

NEW YORK (AP) — Brandon Marshall knew he was on his way out of Chicago.

He heard all the rumors. Things got rocky with the Bears last season, so a change appeared inevitable.

"I kind of felt it over the last two months," Marshall said during a conference call Friday. "So my agent and I just prepared ourselves emotionally and also from the business standpoint for that day. So, it really wasn't unexpected."

The New York Jets agreed to a deal for Marshall last Friday, and it became official Tuesday as the NFL's free agency period started. The Jets sent a fifth-round draft pick to Chicago for the playmaking wide receiver and a seventh-rounder.

For Marshall, it will be his fourth NFL team. And, he hopes, his last.

"Oh, man, yeah," he said. "That was the plan in Chicago, and that's definitely the plan here in New York."

Marshall, who turns 31 on March 23, played the last three seasons with the Bears. But he dealt with injuries and had 61 catches last season, his lowest total since his rookie year with Denver in 2006. He also clashed with teammates at times, and even his relationship with quarterback Jay Cutler appeared a bit strained.

"We're the brothers that, we love each other and we also get into it, but it's always been that way and it will never change," Marshall said. "I love him."

New Jets coach Todd Bowles was in Miami as the Dolphins defensive coordinator while Marshall was there for two seasons. The two hit it off then, and Marshall is excited to be reunited with Bowles.

"Look out, everybody. He's a man's man," Marshall said of Bowles. "He's a leader."

Marshall has watched what the Jets and new general manager Mike Maccagnan have done during an aggressive last few days, including trading for him and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and signing cornerbacks Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Buster Skrine, and safety Marcus Gilchrist.

"These guys have created something special," Marshall said. "This is a young team, a team that's hungry. It's going to be a special journey."

He comes to the Jets as a true No. 1 wide receiver, a guy who has caught 100 or more passes in five seasons and had at least 1,000 yards receiving every year from 2007-13. In offensive coordinator Chan Gailey's system with the Jets, Marshall expects to be a "big piece" but used in whatever way is most effective.

"I think with this offense and with what Chan does, spreading the ball around, is going to help us out a lot," he said. "But I do think I'm going to be in position because of how great a job he does creating matchups to really take my game to another level and I'm looking forward to that."

In Chicago, Marshall saw his targets decrease from earlier in his career as the Bears brought in Alshon Jeffery and Martellus Bennett to pair with him and running back Matt Forte to help Cutler run a potentially high-scoring offense.

He sees the potential for a similar situation with the Jets, especially with Eric Decker complementing him at wide receiver.

"We might be going against a team where he might have the best matchup and Decker might be the guy with 10, 11 catches and I may just have two," Marshall said. "Five years ago, I wouldn't have been able to cope with that the right way."

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Marshall's actions on and off the field have sometimes been an issue in his previous stops. He's known as a fiery competitor, and has been willing to speak his mind, calling out teammates at times and rubbing some the wrong way. He is also well-spoken and thoughtful, parlaying that into a role on Showtime's "Inside The NFL," a gig that required him to fly from Chicago to New York every Tuesday. His commute would be a lot closer now from the Jets' facility in Florham Park, New Jersey.

"It's only a 30-minute ride to Showtime," he said, "if we choose to do that again."

Marshall has said he suffers from borderline personality disorder, and has been an active spokesman for mental health during the last few years. He has been fined by the NFL in the past for wearing green cleats to support his mental illness foundation.

"I was lost and really didn't cope and deal with things the right way the first couple of years," Marshall said. "My second year in Miami (2011) is when there really was a transformation in my life and in my heart, and I started to see the world the way it's supposed to be seen.

"Since then, I've been living my life in a way that, I haven't been perfect," he added, "but one that I would say that I'm happy with and feel that I'm being an effective, healthy ci tizen wherever I am."

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THE RECORD

Sullivan: Jets, Giants among free-agent winners (Tara Sullivan) THE RECORD MARCH 13, 2015

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/sullivan-jets-giants-among-free-agent-winners-1.1288932

The manic four days are done, but who’s to say the NFL’s wheelers and dealers are finished? After spinning the league that employs them like a carousel, dropping players off in spots all over the country via trades or free-agent signings, it’s difficult to imagine anything matching the madness that took us from Tuesday afternoon to now.

And yet we can’t help but wonder (hope?) if there is more to come.

Welcome to the continuing world of NFL dominance, where even the off -season rivals the once untouchable vibe of baseball’s hot stove league, with moves coming down at a dizzying rate. From the complete overhauls going on in Philadelphia or New Orleans, to the shopping sprees being conducted by the Jets or the Dolphins, rosters that used to be the most stagnant in sports are morphing before our widened eyes.

Yes, the paint is still drying on the NFL’s latest landscape, but four days into the free -agency period, here’s a look at some of the winners, losers, unknowns and upheavals. With the big-spending Jets leading the way, we start in our own back yard, where local footbal l fans lead the list of winners.

Just look at the two divisions your teams play in: the AFC East and NFC East were the most altered by trades and free agency, and the Jets and Giants should benefit.

WINNER: The Jets (who changed the AFC East).

First-year GM Mike Maccagnan just went full Nuke LaLoosh on the division, announcing his presence with authority. The Jets were bold and aggressive in pushing a new world order on the AFC

East, starting with the reacquisition of superior cornerback Darrelle Revis, but it was the reshaping of the entire defensive backfield that has Jets fans dreaming of respectability once again.

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Antonio Cromartie and Buster Skrine will complement Revis, the return of linebacker David Harris not only kept a wise voice in the locker room but kept it out of Rex Ryan’s new Bills locker room, wide receiver Brandon Marshall, whose arrival via trade set off the roster overhaul, gives whoever is at quarterback a bona fide dangerous weapon, and veteran QB Ryan Fitzpatrick provides competition for Geno Smith, whether or not Maccagnan drafts Marcus Mariota.

Suddenly, with so many of the gaping holes left open by John Idzik’s parsimonious ways now filled, the Jets have the freedom and flexibility to do what they want on draft day, be it going for a quarterback at No. 6, going for the highest-rated player on their board regardless of position, or dealing away the pick for more in return.

And yet the Jets were not alone in putting pressure on a decade’s worth of dominance by the Super Bowl champion Patriots. The Dolphins signed the No. 1 talent on the open market, nabbing defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, while the Bills followed an earlier trade for LeSean McCoy, a running back to build Ryan’s ground-and-pound attack around, by adding former Jet Percy Harvin at receiver.

WINNER: The Giants (with a nod to the changing NFC East).

The defending division champion Cowboys lost their top running back to one rival (DeMarco Murray to the Eagles), lost an important special teams contributor to another (return man Dwayne Harris to the Giants) and publicly quarreled with their top wide receiver (Dez Bryant) about using the dreaded franchise tag. The chemistry that defined the breakout 2014 season could be toxic now, which is bad for the Cowboys, but good for the rest of the division.

The Giants were their typical non-splashy selves, but the understated addition of running back Shane Vereen, signed away from New England, adds another set of sure hands to Eli Manning’s short passing game. Vereen is more suited to being an option out of the backfield than Rashad Jennings or Andre Williams, making him a solid fit under second-year coordinator Ben McAdoo’s West Coast style offense.

LOSER: The 49ers.

Was it really only three seasons ago that the 49ers were in the Super Bowl? My how that franchise has fallen. The coach who took them there is gone, with Jim Harbaugh busy recruiting for Michigan.

The linebacker at the core of their defense is gone, with Patrick Willis retiring due to injury. The departures of Justin Smith, of Frank Gore, of Chris Culliver, of Michael Crabtree, the rumored dissatisfaction with quarterback Colin Kaepernick leave us wondering when, or i f, the 49ers will get back to the Super Bowl again.

WINNER: The Colts.

As long as 25-year-old Andrew Luck is under center, Indianapolis is a ready-made playoff contender. The last-minute swipe of Gore away from Philadelphia combined with the signing of veteran wide receiver Andre Johnson brings a lot of veteran wisdom to the locker room. They are low-risk, potentially high-reward additions.

LOSER: The Patriots.

Newly re-signed safety Devin McCourty was at Rutgers last Wednesday to watch his alma mater’s Pro Day and joked that he’d have to give his former teammate but remaining workout partner Revis the silent treatment when they re-connect to train in Arizona. “For at least five minutes,” McCourty said.

Though it’s tough to question the Patriot way – six straight division titles and 11 of the past 12 – their inaction so far is notable. They let both starting cornerbacks leave, losing Brandon Browner to the Saints, and watched Vereen go to the Giants.

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WHO KNOWS? The Eagles.

Chip Kelly made drastic changes, swapping quarterback Nick Foles for Sam Bradford, signing Murray as well as running back Ryan Mathews, and jettisoning McCoy and Jeremy Maclin. But is different better? Only time will tell.

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Brandon Marshall wants to be with Jets for rest of career (J.P. Pelzman) THE RECORD MARCH 12, 2015

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/brandon-marshall-wants-to-be-with-jets-for-rest-of-career-1.1288868

Brandon Marshall hopes the Jets are his last NFL team.

Of course, he also was hoping the Bears would be.

But the veteran wide receiver knew he would be leaving Chicago even before the Bears recently traded him to the Jets.

“I kind of felt it over the last two months,” Marshall said Friday during a conference call, his first public comments since the trade became official Tuesday. “My agent and I just prepared ourselves emotionally and also from the business standpoint for that day. So, it really wasn’t unexpected.”

Marshall, who will turn 31 on March 23, wants to stay with one team for the rest of his career.

“That was the plan in Chicago,” he said, “and that’s definitely the plan here in New York.”

He made it clear he doesn’t want to be a “rental” or a “one-hit wonder,” as he termed it. His contract isn’t guaranteed after the 2015 season.

“I want to take this opportunity and make the best of it,” Marshall said.

Marshall has been an outspoken proponent of better awareness and funding for mental health issues because he is afflicted with borderline personality disorder. He believes that is the reason he has had some behavior issues during his career.

“It’s a personality issue,” he said, “not a character issue.”

Marshall also denied clashing with Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler during the wideout’s three seasons with the Bears.

“We’re the brothers that, we love each other and we also get into it, but it’s always been that way and it will never change,” Marshall said. “I love him.”

Marshall is excited to join the Jets for many reasons, including his prior relationship with new coach Todd Bowles. The two were together with the Dolphins in 2010-11 when Bowles was the defensive coordinator and then the interim head coach for the final three games of the 2011 season.

“Look out, everybody. He’s a man’s man,” Marshall said of Bowles. “He’s a leader.”

He also is high on new offensive coordinator Chan Gailey.

“I think with this offense and with what Chan does, spreading the bal l around, is going to help us out a lot,” Marshall said. “I do think I’m going to be in position, because of how great a job he does creating matchups, to really take my game to another level and I’m looking forward to that.”

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Marshall has noticed all the moves the Jets have made besides trading for him, including the signings of cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie, both of whom will have second tours of duty with the Jets. The Jets also agreed to terms with former San Diego safety Marcus Gilchrist late Thursday night.

“These guys have created something special,” Marshall said. “This is a young team, a team that’s hungry. It’s going to be a special journey.”

Marshall said he and Geno Smith will work out together soon. He expects there to be compe tition between Smith and Ryan Fitzpatrick for the starting QB spot.

He didn’t say whether he would continue his role as one of the hosts of Showtime’s “Inside the NFL” program.

“It’s only a 30-minute ride to Showtime [in a Manhattan studio] if we choose to do that again,” he said. The show is taped Tuesdays and Marshall had to fly in from Chicago every week to film the show last year.

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NEWSDAY

Brandon Marshall says all the right things on conference call (Kimberley Martin) Newsday March 13, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/brandon-marshall-says-all-the-right-things-on-conference-call-1.10058811

Brandon Marshall saw it coming.

When the Bears made major front-office changes in the offseason, he knew his time in Chicago was over.

"It really wasn't unexpected," the receiver said on a conference call Friday about his trade to the Jets. The Bears shipped Marshall and a seventh-round pick to the Jets in exchange for a fifth-rounder.

Marshall's outspokenness, and reported tensions with former quarterback Jay Cutler, helped pave the way for his departure. But the receiver insisted it's all love between him and Cutler. "I've always described our relationship this way, and it hasn't changed, that we're brothers," he said. " . . . We love each other and we also get into it, but it's always been that way and it will never change."

"I love him, I love his family, I love his sons and I wish him the best."

Now Marshall is focused on building something special with the Jets. And ending his career with them, he said.

"That was the plan in Chicago and that's definitely the plan here in New York," said Marshall, 30, who had at least 1,000 receiving yards every year from 2007-13.

He raved about new coach Todd Bowles, who served as the defensive coordinator and interim head coach during Marshall's two seasons in Miami. "Look out, everybody," he said. He's a man's man. He's a leader."

Marshall also spoke glowingly of Geno Smith, the presumptive starter unless the Jets tab veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick or draft a quarterback who can beat the other two out. Marshall said he and Smith agreed to work out together this offseason and focus on building chemistry with other skill players.

Does Marshall expect Smith to be the starter in 2015?

"Well, he's the starting quarterback now," he said, adding that Smith planned to fly to New Jersey Friday night. " . . . One thing I do know about Coach is that he's going to create competition."

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"The outside perception is one way, but when you get in the building, it's totally different," he said of Smith. "And I was shocked to talk to him and just hear his intelligence and see his drive just pouring through the phone and hearing that from the team."

Marshall believes he can be "the guy" in the Jets' offense, but he's not looking out for only himself. He's eager to be a part of a unit that includes Eric Decker and Jeremy Kerley. "These guys have created something special," Marshall said. "This is a young team, a team that's hungry. It's going to be a special journey."

And with offensive coordinator Chan Gailey calling plays, Marshall expects to take his game "to a whole 'nother level."

"It doesn't matter if you're the No. 1 guy or the fourth guy. Everyone gets the ball and everyone eats," he said.

Marshall, who suffers from borderline personality disorder and is a spokesman for mental health awareness, admits he's a work in progress.

But he believes he's found an organization that accepts him for who he is and understands "it's a personality, not a character issue."

"I was lost and really didn't cope and deal with things the right way the first couple of years," he said of his diva reputation. "My second year in Miami [2011] is when there really was a transformation in my life and in my heart."

Marshall wouldn't say whether he'll continue his role on Showtime's "Inside The NFL," but he noted the convenience of the studio, which now is 30 minutes away. He did stress, however, that he doesn't want to command the spotlight."I just want to be the best teammate, the best person.""I want to win," he said. ". . . And I just want to go out the right way."

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ESPN NEW YORK

Brandon Marshall, never in playoffs, hungry for championship (Rich Cimini) ESPN.com March 13, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/jets/post/_/id/49882/brandon-marshall-never-in-the-playoffs-hungry-for-a-championship

Brandon Marshall talked about his hunger to win a championship with the New York Jets. Hunger? The man should be positively famished by now. No player in NFL history has more receptions without a playoff appearance than Marshall.

"These guys really created something special here and now you have guys like myself just coming in -- we're all hungry," Marshall said Friday on a media conference call, his first public comments since being traded by the Chicago Bears. "We want something besides freaking Revis Island. He's coming off a Super Bowl. This is a young team, a team that is hungry, that doesn't have much. We want that."

Marshall sounded genuinely excited about playing for the Jets, who have created a buzz with their busy offseason. They've acquired three Pro Bowl-caliber talents in Marshall, Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie.

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No one has ever disputed Marshall's talent (five Pro Bowls), but it's the other stuff that has caused teams to give up on him -- three trades in six years. Aside from his off-the-field issues (five arrests, mostly early in his career), he's known as a "me" guy and a pain in the rear for his quarterbacks.

He tried to dispel those perceptions.

Marshall said he already has been in touch with Geno Smith, with whom he struck up a "weird relationship" two years ago when Smith was drafted by the Jets. He belongs to a gym near Smith's home in Miramar, Florida, so there's some common ground. Marshall said he was expecting Smith to arrive Friday night so they could begin off-season workouts. They expect other teammates to join.

"He has a drive and a passion that a lot of people don't see," Marshall said of Smith.

Marshall also threw some love to the newest quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick, whom the Jets acquired from the Houston Texans.

"This guy's a freaking player's coach," Marshall said. "He can play ball, but he can also be a freaking coach. That can help, not only all of our quarterbacks, but it's going to help everyone else on our offense."

Marshall described himself as a more mature player than early in his career, noting that two years ago he made a decision to take a "selfless" approach within the Bears' offense. The emergence of Alshon Jeffery and the arrival of Martellus Bennett, he said, caused him to subjugate his ego.

That statement probably will cause some eye rolls in the Bears' organization. Late in the season, he was critical of Jay Cutler, perhaps fracturing their relationship. Obviously, the Bears' new regime traded him for a reason, giving him away for a pittance -- a fifth-round pick. They actually sent a seventh-round pick with him to the Jets. It was a fire sale.

Marshall, who said he wasn't surprised by the trade, claimed he hasn't been that guy since early in his career.

"The perception of the first five years [of my career] is close to being reality," he said. "I was lost and really didn't cope and deal with things the right way the first couple of years. My second year in Miami (2011) was really when there was a transformation in my life and in my heart, and I started seeing the world the way it’s supposed to be [seen]. Since then, I've been living my life in a way that hasn't been perfect, but one that I would say I'm happy with."

In 2011, Marshall announced he had been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. He has become a spokesman for mental illness. That's also when he formed a relationship with Todd Bowles, then the Dolphins' assistant head coach. Bowles was instrumental in bringing him to the Jets.

"Look, out, everybody, he's a man's man," Marshall said. "He's a leader."

Marshall said he won't mind sharing the ball with others. This, he said, is where he wants to end his career. He turns 31 on March 23.

"Being a one-hit wonder or a rental definitely affects you emotionally," he said. "I don’t want go through that again. I want to take this opportunity and make the best out of it."

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Darrelle Revis' contract welcomes back 24 to the 212 (Rich Cimini) ESPN.com March 13, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/jets/post/_/id/49876/darrelle-revis-contract-welcomes-24-back-to-the-212

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The New York Jets are happy Darrelle Revis is home, so happy they chose to create a numerical "Welcome Home" greeting in his contract.

Revis' reported deal is $70 million for five years, which averages $14 million per year. In reality, the average is $14,024,212, according to a source.

Obviously, the "24" represents his uniform number, and the "212" ... you guessed it, it's the New York City area code.

The clever idea was the brainchild of Jacqueline Davidson, the Jets' manager of football administration. She was the point person in the negotiations. Her familiarity with Revis' agents, whose history with the organization is filled with acrimony, helped get the deal done.

Davidson is the lone front-office holdover from Revis' first contract negotiation, his rookie deal in 2007. Back then, she worked under general manager Mike Tannenbaum, whose battles with agents Neil Schwartz and Jonathan Feinsod were back-page news. Evidently, she has figured out the right buttons to push.

Anyway, to raise the yearly average to $14,024,212, they had to add $121,060 into the deal. That amount was divided in half and added to the base salaries in the final two years, 2018 and 2019, making them an odd-looking $11,060,530 and $11,060,530.

Those salaries aren't included in the $39 million that is fully guaranteed. By 2018, Revis will be 33 years old and there's always the chance his salary will be adjusted. For now, though, it looks cool on paper.

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NJ.COM

Brandon Marshall, who's been traded three times, wants Jets to be his final NFL stop (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media March 13, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/03/brandon_marshall_whos_been_traded_three_times_want_1.html

Wide receiver Brandon Marshall said the fact that he was traded again—the Bears shipped him and a seventh-round draft choice to the Jets for a fifth-round pick in a deal that became official on Tuesday—was something that "wasn't unexpected."

Marshall, who has now been traded three times despite being one of the league's most productive receivers, said he had been "a lost guy" for the first several seasons of his career, which were marked by a number of off-the-field issues, including more than one incident in which he allegedly hit women.

"I was a lost guy coming in and really didn't cope and deal with things the right way," he told reporters in a conference call Friday afternoon. "My second year in Miami [2011] is when there really was a transformation in my life and in my heart. I really started seeing the world the way it's supposed to be seen.

"Since then, I've been living my life, in a way that I haven't been perfect, but one that I would say that I'm happy with, and feel that I'll be an effective, healthy citizen, wherever I am."

The summer of 2011 is when Marshall acknowledged he has borderline personality disorder. He joined the Jets after a troubled 2014 season with the Bears in which he and quarterback Jay Cutler had more than onepublic dust-up. But Marshall and Cutler, who was also his teammates with the Broncos, are actually quite close. On Friday Marshall said they were like "brothers."

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"Our new coach that was brought on and our general manager," Marshall said of the Bears' John Fox and Ryan Pace, respectively, "they don't know us. All they know is from what they hear and what they see, or what they saw from afar.

"I've always described our relationship this way, and it hasn't changed, that we're brothers. We love each other, and we can also get into it, and it's always been that way and it will never change. I love him and his family, I love his sons, and I wish him the best."

Marshall is only the fourth NFL player i the last 20 years to be traded three or more times. He's never been on a team that appeared in the playoffs. On the field, anyway, Marshall has an NFL-record-tying five seasons with 100 more catches. He also had at least 1,000 receiving yards in every season from 2007 to 2013. Per overthecap.com, Marshall is under contract for three more seasons, with salaries and annual bonuses totaling $7.7 million, $8.1 million, and $8.5 million, though none of that is guaranteed beyond this year, which means the Jets can cut him loose after 2015 or 2016 and owe nothing more.

Marshall, who will be 31 on March 23, understands how much of a business the NFL is, especially with all of the recent player movement, but he's also hopeful that Florham Park will be his last stop.

"I'm 30 years old, and when you get older, you become more vulnerable, and you have more experience, and you really start seeing things the right way," he said.

Marshall elaborated by explaining that he had gotten more than 200 text messages from various people after being traded. He said when he was younger he wouldn't have appreciated that as much as he does now.

"This is a great organization, it's got great people," Marshall said. "I think it's people that's going to accept me for who I am and see that it's a personality, not a character issue. So as we begin to build these relationships, you want to be able to be there for a while. Being a one-hit wonder or a rental definitely affects you emotionally.

"I don't want to go through that again. I want to take this opportunity and make the best out of it."

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Jets agree to sign free agent safety Marcus Gilchrist, formerly of San Diego Chargers, source confirms (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media March 12, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/03/jets_sign_free_agent_safety_marcus_gilchrist_who_h.html

The Jets on Thursday evening agreed to sign free agent safety Marcus Gilchrist, formerly of the Chargers, a league source confirmed. It will be a four-year contract, and Gilchrist is expected to sign it Friday.

The news was first reported by NFL Media's Ian Rapoport.

Monetary terms of the contract were not immediately available.

On Wednesday, Gilchrist's camp prepared to begin contract negotiations with the Jets, while also starting to schedule a visit with another team, in case Gilchrist and the Jets could not reach an agreement, the source said.

As it turned out, Gilchrist did not need to take any other visits. He is coming to the Jets. He will be the first safety they have landed this offseason.

The source spoke to NJ Advance Media on a condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk publicly about the matter.

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On Thursday afternoon, it appeared talks with Gilchrist might have stalled, because the Jets were still reaching out to other free agent safeties. But Gilchrist and the Jets got their deal done.

The Jets needed a safety to play next to second-year pro Calvin Pryor because they are likely to let 32-year-old Dawan Landry walk in free agency. Rutgers alumnus Devin McCourty, the highest-profile pending free agent safety this offseason, decided to re-sign with the Patriots, though the Jets were reportedly not in the hunt for him.

Pryor is an in-the-box safety who is better closer to the line of scrimmage. Last season, he had to play more deep coverage than he was comfortable with, to account for the Jets' deficiencies at cornerback.

They likely will not have those cornerback problems in 2015, as they have brought back elite corner Darrelle Revis. They also signed cornerback Buster Skrine, who could replace Kyle Wilson as the Jets' slot corner. And on Thursday, they agreed to sign free agent corner Antonio Cromartie, reuniting him with Revis in the Jets' secondary, where they started together from 2010-12.

The Jets' secondary, such a major weak point last season, is beginning to transform into one of their strongest areas.

Still, Gilchrist didn't have a great 2014 season. He was rated No. 72 among safeties by Pro Football Focus, including 83rd in coverage and 42nd against the run. In 2013, he was rated 20th overall among safeties, including 55th in coverage and 18th against the run.

He has been a starting safety for the past two seasons, after playing cornerback for his first two years in the NFL, though he got some work at corner in 2013. Gilchrist started four games in each of his first two NFL seasons. He is 26, and is a former second-round draft pick by San Diego. He has just five career interceptions in 62 career games, with 40 starts.

Even though Gilchrist has moved from corner to safety, he played all over the field last season: 401 snaps in the slot, 306 at strong safety and 201 at free safety, according to ESPN research, as ESPN New York's Rich Cimini noted.

Now, can Gilchrist combine with Revis, Cromartie and Skrine to help fix the Jets' secondary?

The Jets last season allowed 31 touchdown passes (third-most in the NFL) and intercepted just six passes (tied for fewest in the league). The Jets' passing defense DVOA in 2014 ranked 24th in the NFL, according to Football Outsiders. In 2013, the Jets ranked 18th in this metric.

In 2011, Revis's last fully healthy season with the Jets, they were second. The year before, they were seventh. And in 2009, they were first. Will Revis help put them up near the top again?

Gilchrist arrived for a free agency visit with the Jets on Tuesday night. He met with the team as scheduled on Wednesday and had dinner with the Jets' coaches and Skrine on Wednesday night.

The NFL's free agency signing period began at 4 p.m. Tuesday, so any playe rs like Gilchrist who were impending free agents became unrestricted free agents at that time, and could begin visiting teams.

The Jets had been interested in Gilchrist before the signing period began.

The Jets had also expressed interest in Chiefs free agent safety Ron Parker, who visited the Bears on Wednesday, according to The Kansas City Star. It is unclear if Parker had a visit lined up with the Jets.

A league source said at least four teams expressed interest in Parker on Wednesday, but declined to disclose the identity of those teams. Parker went undrafted in 2011. He started for the first time last year, and was rated the 73rd-best safety in the NFL by Pro Football Focus, including 29th in coverage ratings.

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Daily Clips Cont.

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Jets forget they're located in N.J. with Darrelle Revis contract gimmick | Politi Bits (Steve Politi) NJ Advance Media March 13, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/03/jets_forget_where_theyre_located_with_darrelle_rev.html

Look, we probably should let these things roll off our back by now. After all, once you've surrendered on the actual name of the sports franchise despite the obvious geographical fallacy, you've pretty much raised the white flag on complaining about anything else.

Still, every now and then, one of the New York — cough, cough — football teams do something that's just too aggravating to ignore. As in, when the New York — giggle, giggle — Jets decide to pay tribute to cornerback Darrelle Revis for returning to their franchise by including an area code in his contract.

Rich Cimini of ESPN reported the details:

Revis' reported deal is $70 million for five years, which averages $14 million per year. In reality, the average is $14,024,212, according to a source.

Obviously, the "24" represents his uniform number, and the "212" ... you guessed it, it's the New York City area code.

The clever idea was the brainchild of Jacqueline Davidson, the Jets' manager of football administration. She was the point person in the negotiations. Her familiarity with Revis' agents, whose history with the organization is filled with acrimony, helped get the deal done.

Clever! Except, of course, the Jets don't anything in the 212 area code and haven't for decades. Their headquarters are in the 973. They play their games in the 201. Truth be told, most of their fans probably still live in the 516.

If you want to be a real jerk — and at this point, why not? — they probably draw just as many fans from the 732 and the 908. Revis reportedly lived in the 973 during his first stint with the Jets, and if he gets a new cell phone when he moves back, he'll probably end up with an 862 or an 848 or ... haven't they run out of area codes yet?

(As an aside, I'm a little surprised, given the history of holdouts, that Revis' agents didn't push for the 973. More money!)

The point is this, Jets: When are you going to stop pretending that your stadium is on the West Side of Manhattan when it's really on the west side of Route 3?

Okay. Jersey rant over. Great job otherwise, guys!

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How close was Antrel Rolle from leaving the Giants for the Jets? (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media March 13, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/03/ex-giants_safety_antrell_rolle_says_he_considered.html

It's a moot point now, since the Jets got their man in Marcus Gilchrist, but former Giants safety Antrell Rolle said the Jets had expressed interest in him during this week's free agency period.

"The Jets were also interested, and it was a consideration," Rolle said Friday during his weekly radio appearance on WFAN.

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Rolle, 32, had played five seasons with the Giants, and he won a ring in Super Bowl XLVI before signing a free agent deal with the Bears on Wednesday worth $4.9 million in guarantees, per overthecap.com. Rolle began his career with the Cardinals in 2005 but joined the Giants as a free agent in 2010. He is arguably the Giants' best free agent acquisitionthis century.

The Jets, meanwhile, came to terms with Gilchrist, a former Chargers safety, late Thursday night. But with Gilchrist in North Jersey for a visit as the process played out, the Jets had also reached out to former Bears safety Chris Conte (who signed with the Bucs) and to at least one other safety who wasn't Rolle. The Jets were clearly lining up contingenciesin the event Gilchrist decided to sign elsewhere. In the end, Gilchrist chose to join a Jets secondary that went from laughingstock to laudable in a span of three days.

The above paragraph explains just how fluid and competitive the free agent process can be. But, again, for the Jets and for Rolle: moot point.

"Although it would have definitely been weird to be in a Jets uniform, man, I'm all about just playing ball and trying to be the best player that I can be and still showcase my talents at 32 years of age," Rolle said.

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Demario Davis led Jets in 2014 performance-based pay (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advanced Media March 13, 2013

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/03/demario_davis_led_jets_in_2014_performance-based_p.html

The NFL Management Council has informed teams which players are due to receive performance-based pay for the 2014 season. The information is not (yet) publicly available, but inside linebacker Demario Davis led the Jets for a second straight year, a person who has seen the figures informed NJ Advance Media.

That person asked to remain anonymous because he or she was not authorized to release the information.

NFL performance-based pay, which is exactly what it sounds like, is based on playing time relative to salary. Late-round draft picks, undrafted free agents, rookies, and veterans making close to the minimum typically receive more if they played a lot. The 2014 performance bonuses were already incorporated into every team's share of the $133 million salary cap, so there's no additional cap hit to take.

Davis, a 2012 third-round draft pick, played 1,033 out of a possible 1,044 defensive snaps last season, according to Pro Football Focus. As a a result, he earned an additional $226,033.87 in performance pay. Which is a nice chunk of change for him: Davis gets that money on top of the $620,000 he e arned last year, which included a $50,000 workout bonus plus his $570,000 in base pay, per overthecap.com.

Davis had collected a team-high $196,081.07 in performance pay in 2013.

Davis is set to earn $1.492 million in base pay, plus another $50,000 workout bonus in 2015, the final season of his four-year rookie contract, according to overthecap.com. He can become an unrestricted free agent after the season.

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NEW YORK POST

Jets swarm Mariota, who would ‘love to pay for’ them (Brian Lewis) New York Post March 14, 2015

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http://nypost.com/2015/03/14/jets-swarm-mariota-who-would-love-to-play-for-them/

The Jets have a high draft pick and a need for a franchise quarterback. Marcus Mariota has a Heisman Trophy, a Maxwell Award, and Friday the Oregon star said he would relish suiting up for Gang Green.

“I’d love to play for the Jets,’’ said Mariota, whom the Jets dispatched a small armada to see at his pro day in Oregon on Thursday. “Meeting with the offensive coordinator and the quarterbacks coach was awesome. It was an opportunity for me to introduce myself, and it seems like a great organization.’’

After adding head coach Todd Bowles, wide receiver Brandon Marshall and cornerback Darrelle Revis, the Jets are a different team than a few months ago. That general manager Mike Maccagnan, offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, quarterbacks coach Kevin Patullo and director of college scouti ng Rex Hogan all flew to Oregon to watch Mariota’s pro day — and set up a pre-draft visit, according to sources — speaks to how serious the Jets are about him.

But the question is whether Mariota — who was at the Tropicana in Atlantic City to receive the Maxwell Award, given to the NCAA’s best football player — will be around when they pick sixth in the NFL Draft.

After all, five NFL GMs watched Mariota’s pro day, as did head coach Ken Whisenhunt of the Titans, with whom the quarterback told the NFL Network he was having a private workout on Thursday night.

Mariota has been both busy and in demand.

“In the process of this entire thing you understand what teams need quarterbacks, but there’s always going to be a team that might jump up and take you,’’ Mariota said. “So, it’s one of the processes where you just got to wait. It’s out of your control and let everything else unfold and see where you fall.”

Tampa Bay — which Mariota will visit Monday — has the No. 1 pick, but is expected to select Florida State’s Jameis Winston. Eagles coach Chip Kelly coached Mariota at Oregon, fueling speculation Philadelphia might trade up from No. 20 to get him. Kelly tried to defuse those rumors on Wednesday, to no avail.

“I wouldn’t doubt it. But Coach Kelly and the Eagles are going to do what’s best for that team, and we’ll see what happens,’’ said Mariota, who met with Ryan Day, the Eagles’ quarterbacks coach, for breakfast Thursday morning before his pro day. He hit 60-of-67 passes and was critiqued for missing some easy throws that fed doubters who have said he’s a shotgun, spread-system product who will struggle to adjust to the pro style.

“That’s people’s opinions,’’ Mariota said. “I can’t control that.’’

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Brandon Marshall eyes Super Bowl, raves about ‘starting QB’ Geno (Brian Costello) New York Post March 13, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/03/13/brandon-marshall-eyes-super-bowl-raves-about-starting-qb-geno/

Brandon Marshall has spent the week watching his new team line up new pieces, and it’s got him excited.

The Jets agreed to trade for the wide receiver on March 6, days before free agency opened and the team went on a spending spree to add players. Marshall said the Jets had a strong nucleus to begin with, and the additions of players such as Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie have the team ready to compete. Marshall said this team is starving for a Super Bowl. Well, with one exception.

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“These guys really created something special here, and now you have guys like myself just coming in — we’re all hungry,” Marshall said. “We want something besides freaking Revis Island. He’s coming off a Super Bowl. This is a young team, a team that is hungry, that doesn’t have much. We want that.”

The Jets will be Marshall’s fourth team in nine years in the NFL, and he has never been to the playoffs. He plans to change that with the Jets.

Marshall already has begun getting to know his new teammates. He said quarterback Geno Smith was flying Friday night to Florida, where Marshall lives, and the two were going to work out together.

Marshall said he’s been impressed by Smith, whom he has known since the quarterback was drafted.

“I just think he has a drive and a passion that a lot of people don’t see,” Marshall said. “From my conversations with him so far, it’s really got me excited.”

The Jets traded for quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick this week, but Marshall said Smith is the team’s starting quarterback at the moment.

“He’s the starting quarterback now,” Marshall said. “I know we just traded for Fitzpatrick. One thing I do know about coach is he’s going to create competition.”

Marshall said the trade from the Bears was not unexpected. The Bears just hi red a new GM and coach, and he suspected he might be on his way out. As for Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, Marshall insisted there were no issues between the two, who also played together in Denver.

“We’re brothers,” he said. “We’re the brothers that we love each other and we also get into it. It’s always been that way, and it will never change.”

The soon-to-be 31-year-old arrives with a reputation for finding trouble. Some of that has to be blamed on the borderline personality disorder Marshall acknowledged in 2011 he has. Marshall said since then, he has worked to change the way he lives.

“The perception of the first five years [in the NFL] was close to being a reality,” Marshall said. “I was lost and really didn’t cope and deal with things right the first couple of years. My second year in Miami was when it really was a transformation in my life and in my heart and really started seeing the world the way it’s supposed to be seen. Since then I’ve been living my life in a way … I wouldn’t say I’ve been perfect, but in a way that I’m happy with and feel that I’m being an effective, healthy citizen wherever I am.

“It’s a personality, not a character issue.”

Marshall has used his stature in the NFL to raise awareness about mental health issues. He appeared on Showtime’s “Inside the NFL” last year to further that platform and drew some criticism for a perceived lack of commitment to the Bears. The show is filmed in New York, so it required a plane flight from Chicago. Now, it’s a car ride.

“This is not the reason I came to New York, but it’s a perk. It’s only a 30-minute ride to Showtime if we choose to do that again,” he said.

If he does the show, Marshall made it clear that football is his top priority after his family and his faith.

He is excited about his new football home and said he believes he can be productive for the Jets, the team with which he would like to finish his career after getting traded three times.

“Being a one-hit wonder or a rental definitely affects you emotionally,” he said. “I don’t want to go through that again. I want to take this opportunity and make the best out of it.”

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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

New Jets WR Brandon Marshall sings praises of Geno Smith, rest of Gang (Seth Walder) NEW YORK DAILY NEWS March 13, 2015

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/new-jet-brandon-marshall-sings-geno-smith-praises-article-1.2148941

Geno Smith has a new teammate in his corner. And a new workout buddy as well.

Talented (and loquacious) wide receiver Brandon Marshall, whom the Jets traded for a week ago, sounded pretty pleased with his new situation Friday, in his first media availability since being dealt by the Bears. And despite all the struggles that Smith has had his first two years in the league, Marshall was surprisingly upbeat about his new quarterback.

It turns out the two have known each other for a couple of years.

“This is pretty interesting because Geno and I, we started this weird relationship from the time he got drafted,” Marshall said. “He’s a Florida guy. My gym. . . it’s literally like three exits from him. We started this relationship, and it’s pretty cool to see how it develops off the field.”

The receiver said he was texting with Smith simultaneously while on the conference call with reporters. The Jets QB was flying into Florida on Friday so the new duo can work out together, Marshall said.

“So now I get traded, and when this stuff starts happening, we started communicating. We both decided it would probably be cool to get together and work out for the rest of the offseason . . . and try to get other guys down so we can start building that chemistry.”

Most Jets fans have given up on Smith as a viable quarterback, but Marshall clearly has not.

“He has a drive and a passion that a lot of people don't see,” he said.

Marshall also praised newly acquired Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, whom the wideout termed a “player-coach.” It’s unclear how the situation with Smith and Fitzpatrick will play out, but Marshall described Smith as the Jets’ current starting quarterback but said he expected there to be competition between the two.

The receiver also acknowledged that the Jets haven’t had a lot of success lately. Except for one player, that is.

“We’re all hungry,” he said. “We want something, besides freaking Revis Island, he’s coming off a Super Bowl.”

Like new Jets WR Brandon Marshall, Geno Smith is a Florida guy.

Smith wasn’t the only person Marshall pumped up: the wideout saved some praise for Todd Bowles. Marshall knows the new Jets head coach from their time together in Miami, when Bowles was the secondary coach and eventually the interim head coach.

“Look out everybody, he’s a man’s man,” he said of Bowles. “He’s a leader.”

Marshall also is looking forward to playing under offensive coordinator Chan Gailey. When asked if he thought the Jets traded for him to be “the guy,” Marshall said he did, but added, “You look at coach Chan’s history where he does a great job of matchups, it doesn’t matter if you’re the number one guy or the fourth guy, everyone gets the ball and everyone eats.”

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The Bears traded Marshall, along with a seventh-round pick, to Gang Green for just a fifth-rounder — a relatively low price for a player who has seven 1,000-yard receiving seasons in his career and costs the Jets only $7.7 million against the salary cap this year. But he also brought with him risk, as a player who has had many run-ins with the law and as someone that seemed to cause some locker-room problems last season in Chicago. Marshall rocked the boat last season when he was heard yelling at teammates following a loss, and said on the radio he would have “buyer’s remorse, too,” on quarterback Jay Cutler’s contract. And his weekly appearances in New York on Showtime’s “Inside the NFL” seemed like they had the potential to cause friction with the new regime in Chicago.

Though he didn't exactly connect the dots, that may have been why Marshall said he wasn't surprised he was traded for the third time in his career.

“I kind of felt it over the last two months,” Marshall said. “So my agent and I just prepared ourselves emotionally and also from the business standpoint for that day. So, it re ally wasn't unexpected.”

Marshall wouldn't specifically say if he planned on doing the show again, but did note it would be easier to get to.

“It’s only a 30-minute ride to Showtime if we choose to do that again,” he said.

HARVIN FOLLOWS REX

Apparently, Rex Ryan liked what he saw from the eight games he got out of Percy Harvin. The wide receiver reportedly agreed to terms with the Bills on Friday on a one-year deal, a few days after the Jets released him. Harvin caught 29 passes for 350 yards and a touchdown with the Jets last season, adding 110 yards on the ground.

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Marcus Mariota says he’d ‘love’ to play for Jets next season (Seth Walder) NEW YORK DAILY NEWS March 13, 2015

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/marcus-mariota-love-play-jets-article-1.2148945

Many Jets fans want Marcus Mariota to be their next quarterback. Big surprise: he’s open to that idea.

“I’d love to play for the Jets,” Mariota said in Atlantic City Friday, via USA Today. “Meeting with the offensive coordinator (Chan Gailey) and the quarterbacks coach (Kevin Patullo) was awesome. It was an opportunity for me to introduce myself, and it seems like a great organization.”

Really, what’s he going to say?

Mariota is projected to be an early first-round pick, and obviously wants to be selected as early as possible. The Jets, in need of a quarterback, are an obvious candidate to select him. Their contingent at his pro day on Thursday included GM Mike Maccagnan.

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NEW YORK TIMES

Brandon Marshall Hopes Jets Will Be Last Stop (Tom Pedulla) New York Times MARCH 13, 2015

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/14/sports/football/brandon-marshall-hopes-jets-will-be-his-final-stop.html?ref=football&_r=0

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Brandon Marshall hopes to make the Jets the fourth and final stop of a career marked by a surprising amount of movement for a wide receiver of his caliber.

“Being a one-hit wonder or a rental definitely affects you emotionally,” he said Friday. “I don’t want to go through that again.”

Marshall, 30, may well be on a one-year trial with the Jets. They acquired him from the Chicago Bears in exchange for a fifth-round draft choice last Friday in what amounted to a fire sale for a wideout who has been to the Pro Bowl five times. He is owed $24.3 million, including $7.7 million this season, over the final three years of his contract. But the last two years are not guaranteed, providing the Jets with an easy exit if they sour on Marshall the way three previous teams did.

Marshall said that he was more mature now than when he broke in with the Denver Broncos in 2006 as a little-known fourth-round draft choice from Central Florida who quickly attained stardom. “I didn’t cope and deal the right way with things my first couple of years,” he said, admitting that he “got kicked out of Denver.”

Denver traded him to the Miami Dolphins in 2010. He spent two years in Miami before he was sent on to Chicago. He spent the last three years with the Bears and developed a strong relationship with the quarterback Jay Cutler, who has come to be viewed as a polarizing figure within that organization. Marshall said he and Cutler treated each other as if they were brothers.

During his time in Miami, Marshall also developed an admiration for Todd Bowles, then an assistant with the Dolphins and now in his first year as the Jets’ coach. “He’s a man’s man,” Marshall said, adding, “We had a great rapport, and I’m looking forward to building on that.”

Marshall has said he has borderline personality disorder; his charitable efforts in recent years have revolved around mental health. Marshall has been arrested twice in domestic abuse episodes, but charges were dropped in both cases.

Marshall has the potential to end the Jets’ search for a premier wide receiver if he rebounds from last season. He was slowed by injuries and finished with 61 catches — his fewest since his rookie year in Denver — 721 yards receiving and 8 touchdowns. His streak of 1,000-yard seasons ended at seven.

Simply by his game-changing presence on the field, Marshall should ease defensive pressure on fellow receivers Eric Decker and Jeremy Kerley as the Jets learn a new offense under the first -year coordinator Chan Gailey. “I do believe there is going to be a big piece of the offense for me,” he said. “But if you look at Coach Gailey’s history, he does a great job of getting matchups. Everyone gets the ball and everyone eats, so I’m excited about that.”

In another development Friday, the Jets officially signed Marcus Gilchrist, a free-agent safety, to a four-year deal. Gilchrist, 26, had been with the San Diego Chargers, breaking in as a cornerback before making the transition to safety two years ago. He will be paired with Calvin Pryor, the team’s first -round draft choice last year.

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METRO NEW YORK

Marcus Mariota talks potential future with New York Jets (Kristian Dyer) Metro New York March 13, 2015

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http://www.metro.us/sports/marcus-mariota-talks-potential-future-with-new-york-jets/zsJocn---jAhy8fRlZWaHI/

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – Possibly the future quarterback of the New York Jets, Marcus Mariota met with 'Gang Green' on Thursday during his Pro Day at Oregon and walked away impressed.

Most mock drafts have the Jets targeting Mariota with the No. 6 pick, a union perhaps that makes sense given the team's less-than-ideal setting at the position. And after Thursday's Pro Day where he met with members of the Jets organization, Mariota said the obligatory positive things about the team and the organization.

“I’d love to play for the Jets and I think meeting with their offensive coordinator and the quarterbacks coach was awesome,” Mariota said. “It was an opportunity for me to kind of introduce myself. It seems like a great organization.”

Mariota spoke at a press conference on Friday where he was set to receive the Maxwell Award as the nation's top college football player. The award is given out annually by the Maxwell Football Club at the Tropicana Casino. This year's award represents the 78th giving the honor to the nation's top college football player.

In every meaning of the word, Mariota deserved the award. Last season at Oregon, Mariota threw 4,454 yards with 42 touchdowns and four interceptions. He led Oregon to the national championship game where they lost to Ohio State.

He called Thursday's Pro Day performance “OK” and he admitted to meeting with representatives from the Philadelphia Eagles as well. The Eagles are coached by Chip Kelly, who coached Mariota in college at Oregon and the team has been linked to moving up in the draft in recent weeks. One possible scenario has the Eagles and Jets becoming trading partners.

Outside of the Eagles and their similar offense to that of Oregon, it is likely that Mariota will face a steep learning curve as he acclimates to the NFL. He seems ready to handle it in typical stride.

“I think any process, any transition into this game, going into the NFL, is going to be tough,” Mariota said. “I think for me, the biggest step for me is I’m going to learn whatever system I go into and find ways to be able to learn it as fast as I can and be able to execute.”

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FRIDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS

BASEBALL

American League

BOSTON RED SOX — Agreed to terms with INF Yoan Moncada on a minor league contract.

HOUSTON ASTROS — Optioned LHP Luis Cruz and OF Domingo Santana to their minor league camp. Assigned C Luis Flores to their minor league camp.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS — Reassigned LHP Scott Alexander, RHP Miguel Almonte, RHP Christian Binford, LHP Chris Dwyer, LHP Sean Manaea, C Zane Evans and C Cameron Gallagher to their minor league camp. Optioned LHP John Lamb to Omaha (PCL).

National League

MIAMI MARLINS — Reassigned RHPs Brian Ellington and Ryan Reid, C Sharif Othman, and INFs Justin Bohn and Viosergy Rosa to their minor league camp. Optioned LHP Grant Dayton to New Orleans (PCL).

MILWAUKEE BREWERS — Announced the retirement of LHP Dontrelle Willis.

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NEW YORK METS — Assigned OF Brandon Nimmo, SS Gavin Cecchini and C Xorge Carrillo to their minor league camp.

American Association

AMARILLO THUNDERHEADS — Traded LHP Ryan DeJesus to Gateway to complete an earlier trade.

GRAND PRAIRIE AIR HOGS — Signed OF Chris Elder.

WICHITA WINGNUTS — Signed OF Luis Montanez and RHP Andy Moye.

BASKETBALL

National Basketball Association

NBA — Suspended Golden State C Marreese Speights one game for pleading no contest to reckless driving, in violation of the law of the state of Florida.

DALLAS MAVERICKS — Recalled C-F Dwight Powell from Texas (NBADL).

PHOENIX SUNS — Signed C Earl Barron for the remainder of the season.

FOOTBALL

National Football League

BUFFALO BILLS — Signed DT Kyle Williams to a contract extension.

CLEVELAND BROWNS — Re-signed DL John Hughes to a contract extension.

DALLAS COWBOYS — Signed RB Darren McFadden to a two-year contract.

DENVER BRONCOS — Agreed to terms with S Darian Stewart and G Shelley Smith to two-year contracts.

DETROIT LIONS — Re-signed S Isa Abdul-Quddus to a one-year contract. Signed LB Josh Bynes to a two-year contract and DT Tyrunn Walker to a one-year contract.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS — Signed WR-KR Bryan Walters.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS — Acquired OL Ben Grubbs from New Orleans for an undisclosed draft pick. Signed LS James Winchester to a two-year contract and WR Jason Avant, TE Richard Gordon and SKelcie McCray.

MIAMI DOLPHINS — Acquired WR Kenny Stills from New Orleans for LB Dannell Ellerbe and a 2015 third-round draft pick.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS — Re-signed LB Chris White.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS — Agreed to terms RB C.J. Spiller on a four-year contract. Released DB Corey White.

OAKLAND RAIDERS — Signed CB James Dockery and QB Christian Ponder.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS — Agreed to terms with QB Ben Roethlisberger on a contract extension. Signed RB DeAngelo Williams to a two-year contract.

ST. LOUIS RAMS — Signed LB Akeem Ayers to a two-year contract. Agreed to terms with DT Nick Fairley on a one-year contract.

TENNESSEE TITANS — Agreed to terms with LB Brian Orakpo, LB Derrick Morgan, K Ryan Succop, TE Anthony Fasano and DT Karl Klug.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS — Signed CB Chris Culliver and DT Terrance Knighton. Re-signed CB Justin Rogers.

Canadian Football League

EDMONTON ESKIMOS — Released SB Patrick Robertson and RB Tyler Thomas.

HOCKEY

National Hockey League

NHL — Suspended Chicago F Joakim Nordstrom two games for boarding Arizona D Oliver Ekman-Larsson during a March 12 game.

ARIZONA COYOTES — Assigned F Brendan Shinnimin to Portland (AHL).

DETROIT RED WINGS — Reassigned G Jared Coreau from Toledo (ECHL) to Grand Rapids (AHL).

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MONTREAL CANADIENS — Recalled D Greg Pateryn from Hamilton (AHL).

WASHINGTON CAPITALS — Recalled C Andre Burakovsky from Hershey (AHL). Reassigned D Cameron Schilling to Hershey.

WINNIPEG JETS — Recalled D Keaton Ellerby from St. John’s (AHL).

American Hockey League

ALBANY DEVILS — Signed F Matt Lorito to an amateur tryout agreement.

LACROSSE

National Lacrosse League

COLORADO MAMMOTH — Acquired M Jeremy Noble from Rochester for future draft picks.

OLYMPICS

United States Olympic Committee

USOC — Announced the approval of Daniel Doctoroff, Steve Mesler and Kevin White as new board members.

SOCCER

Major League Soccer

COLUMBUS CREW SC — Signed coach Gregg Berhalter to a contract extension through 2017.

LA GALAXY — Signed F Ignacio Maganto.

TENNIS

World TeamTennis

BOSTON LOBSTERS — Named Jan-Michael Gambill coach.

COLLEGE

EAST TENNESSEE STATE — Fired men’s basketball coach Murry Bartow.

RUTGERS — Dismissed junior LB L.J. Liston.

ST. ANDREWS — Named Randy Hernandez men’s basketball coach.

WASHINGTON — Announced QB Cyler Miles is taking a voluntary leave of absence from the team and will not participate in spring practice.

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