Saints cut Brandon Marshall: Will team's lack of WR depth hurt them in the playoffs?
The New Orleans Saints have released wide receiver Brandon Marshall.
The team signed Marshall after Dez Bryant suffered an Achilles injury the week after signing with the team as it has sought a reliable wide receiver option to line up opposite of Pro Bowler Michael Thomas.
Marshall never played for Saints
Marshall was not that guy. He never cracked the lineup after signing on Nov. 12.
The Saints’ corresponding move on Wednesday was to sign tight end Erik Swoope off waivers, signaling that they’re forced to be content with their shallow receiving corps this deep into the season.
Thomas is well on his way to another Pro Bowl nod, having tallied 1,281 yards and eight touchdowns on 102 catches through 13 games. Running back Alvin Kamara is the team’s second leading receiver with 591 yards on 70 catches.
Saints haven’t found No. 2 option
From there the production drop-off is steep. Tre’Quan Smith is the team’s third leading receiver with 371 yards on 35 catches. He hasn’t caught a pass since Week 11 and was targeted just once in each of the Saints’ last two games against the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Meanwhile, Ted Ginn is injured, and offseason acquisition Cameron Meredith was a letdown before being placed on injured reserve with a knee injury.
There’s a chance that Ginn could be activated from injured reserve after undergoing knee surgery in October, which would add a much-needed weapon to Drew Brees’ stable.
Will receiving depth haunt Saints in the playoffs?
The Saints have looked mostly unstoppable on offense this season, but were ground to a screeching halt two weeks a go in a 13-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. They struggled again early Sunday against the Tampa Buccaneers before rallying late for a 28-14 win.
It’s not a good time of the season for an offense to lose its rhythm, and lacking a No. 2 option isn’t helping New Orleans’ cause. But there’s not much the team can do to address the problem in Week 14. The Saints will have to rely on the innovation of head coach Sean Payton and Brees’ deadly accurate arm to make up for the lack of depth.
Marshall’s playoff quest falls short
Meanwhile, Marshall’s career-long quest to make the playoffs has fallen painfully short.
Thirteen years into his career, the six-time Pro Bowler has never played in a playoff game. It seems unlikely he’ll get another chance.
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