Miami paid two second-round picks for Brandon Marshall and…
Miami paid two second-round picks for Brandon Marshall and immediately received a true No. 1 receiver. Marshall topped 1,000 yards in both Dolphins seasons, made the Pro Bowl in 2011, and gave an uneven passing offense a focal point. Denver converted the compensation into draft flexibility and guard/tackle Orlando Franklin, a multi-year starter. Both clubs extracted meaningful value, making the deal much closer to even than the old grade spread suggested.
Denver Broncos Received
- pick 2010 2nd round pick (43rd overall subsequently traded, Sergio Kindle )
- pick 2011 2nd round pick (46th overall, Orlando Franklin)
Miami Dolphins Received
- player Brandon Marshall
Trade Analysis
Denver and Miami were solving different problems in April 2010. The Broncos had reached the end of a turbulent relationship with Brandon Marshall, a receiver coming off three straight 100-catch seasons, while the Dolphins badly needed a top-end target. Miami surrendered the 43rd pick in 2010 and its second-round choice in 2011, then gave Marshall a major extension. The price was steep, but the player delivered immediately enough to justify the gamble.
Marshall caught 86 passes for 1,014 yards in 2010 despite missing two games, then followed with 81 catches for 1,214 yards and six touchdowns in 2011, earning a Pro Bowl selection. Miami never turned those numbers into a playoff berth, and Marshall was traded to Chicago after only two seasons, which caps the Dolphins' upside. Still, two years of high-volume receiving value from a premier player is substantial.
Denver also converted the return into useful football value. The 2010 pick, No. 43, was included in the package sent to Baltimore so the Broncos could move into the first round for Tim Tebow. The 2011 second-rounder became Orlando Franklin, who started 63 regular-season games for Denver from 2011 through 2014 and was part of a team that reached Super Bowl XLVIII. The Tebow branch was short-lived, but the Franklin branch gave the Broncos durable line play.
Hindsight does not produce a clean loser. Miami got the star it wanted and received two strong receiving seasons. Denver salvaged premium capital from a relationship it no longer wanted to continue and turned part of that capital into a reliable starter. A B for each side and an Even Trade verdict better reflect the balance of the actual returns.