Miami Dolphins trade rewind: The Brandon Marshall trade to Chicago
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins trade of Brandon Marshall to the Bears was all around bad.
The Miami Dolphins have made some good trades with the Chicago Bears but the trade that sent Brandon Marshall was the worst.
Many Miami Dolphins fans felt that Jeff Ireland had made a mistake trading two 2nd-round draft picks to the Denver Broncos for Brandon Marshall. When he traded Marshall to the Bears two seasons later, fans could only shake their head.
The trade sent Marshall to the NFC North and gave the Miami Dolphins two third-round draft picks. One each in 2012 and 2013.
Marshall’s production in Miami was good. He posted two consecutive seasons over 1,000 yards and went to the Pro Bowl in 2011 winning the games MVP award. Yet his production on the field could not overcome his sideline tantrums and lockerroom attitude.
Receiving two third-round draft picks was not all that bad considering, but here the Dolphins were turning a Pro Bowl receiver over after only two seasons following a blockbuster trade and what they did with that compensation made it even worse.
In 2012, the Dolphins used their first selection in round three in a trade with the Chargers. Miami dropped a few spots in round three and added a 6th round pick that same year. They used that 3rd to draft TE Michael Egnew who was a bust from the day he showed up in camp. Lost and confused, Egnew hung around for two seasons, joined the Lions but didn’t make the roster.
The 6th round pick Miami added in the trade was also wasted as Ireland drafted WR B.J. Cunningham. Cunningham didn’t make the Dolphins roster, spent his rookie season with the Eagles on their practice squad. He played two games in the NFL and finished his 3-year NFL career with Chicago on their PS.
In 2013, the Dolphins had another shot to get value for Marshall. They traded that selection to the Saints for two 4th round draft picks that same draft. Ireland wanted to get back into the 3rd round after making the trade.
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Ireland would trade the first of the two 4th round picks to Green Bay along with another 4th round pick and a 7th. Following along? So two fourth rounders and a 7th to Green Bay for the 93rd overall pick in round 3.
The Dolphins used that 3rd to draft CB Will Davis. Davis appeared in 15 games for the Dolphins starting none. He combined for 25 tackles and three passes defended. He would later get traded after his 2nd season. The other 4th round pick that Miami traded for with that 2013 3rd round pick was used on TE Dion Sims. Sims didn’t last long in Miami either.
In the end, the Dolphins traded Brandon Marshall for Michael Egnew, B.J. Cunningham, Will Davis, and Dion Sims.
Needless to say, the Marshall trade that brought him to Miami and sent him to Chicago did not work out in Miami’s favor.