Chicago Bears Rumors: No Assured Roster Spot for Brandon Marshall

By Cheri Cheng - 12 Feb '15 17:26PM

Although wide receiver Brandon Marshall would like to return to the Chicago Bears next season, he acknowledged the possibility that the Bears might not want him back.

"I don't think anybody would be (comfortable) sitting in the gray, but this is the National Football League," Marshall said Wednesday according to the Chicago Tribune. "This is our business. It's not a unique situation. It happens every single year. Like I said in the middle of the season, some players think that when you lose, oh, the coach is going to be gone. No, they move players, too. I get that and understand that."

Marshall revealed that during his meeting with new general manager Ryan Pace and new coach John Fox, he was told that he did not have an assured a spot on the team's roster.

Marshall signed a contract extension last May and has expressed his desire to retire from the league as a Bear. Going into next season, Marshall also stated that he would be very excited to work with Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase, who was his positions coach in Denver.

In his first two seasons with the Bears, Marshall made 218 catches for 2,803 yards and 23 touchdowns. However, due to injuries, Marshall has not been able to repeat those performances and could be headed out of Chicago.

"I definitely love Chicago, but I definitely understand it's a business on both ends," Marshall said. "For me, I want to win. The organization wants to win. (Owner) Mrs. (Virginia) McCaskey wants to win, so, definitely aligned there. But there's a business side on both ends, and I get that."

Marshall, a five-time Pro Bowler, was riddled with injuries last season. He suffered from a high right ankle sprain during the season-opener but managed to play in 13 games before he sustained season-ending injuries, which included broken ribs and a collapsed lung. Marshall recorded 61 catches for 721 receiving yards, his lowest stat totals since his rookie year in 2006 with the Denver Broncos.

Marshall, who turns 31 in March, is still recovering from his lung injury. If Marshall is named on the roster after March 12, his $7.5 million base salary for the 2015-16 season will become guaranteed. If the Bears release him before that date, they will save $7.7 million in cash and $3.95 million in their 2015 salary cap space.