Jay Cutler was the first to earn a new contract from the Chicago Bears. The quarterback signed a large, seven-year deal. Jared Allen got paid by the team, earning a four-year contract with $15.5 million in guaranteed money. So where is Brandon Marshall's contract? The wide receiver is entering the final year of his current deal and is expecting to get a nice pay day from the team. However, so far, it has yet to happen.
The Bears do not have an unlimited amount of salary cap space. After signing Cutler to a large contract, the team had to restructure it in order to sign Allen to a deal favorable for the defensive end. These two big-money contracts are hurting negotiations for Marshall. However, like any franchise player, the wide receiver insists that he is not concerned about getting a deal done this year because he has no intentions of leaving the team.
"I have another year left on my contract. If it happens, it happens, if it doesn't, I'm glad to be a Bear for another year and I'm going to force them to sign me after next year," Marshall said, via "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN Chicago 1000. "One way or another, they're going to get the deal done. But if it comes down to next year, I'll be picketing outside of Halas Hall for a new deal, a new contract, because I'm not going anyplace."
Marshall will be making $9.1 million in the final year of his current contract. That is significantly less than other wide receivers are making in this league. Larry Fitzgerald is making upwards of $16 million while Calvin Johnson is earning $15 million. Marshall recognizes that he is coming off a "down year" and is not worried about his salary compared to others. Most would not consider 1.295 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns a down year, but to each his own.
The Bears will not let Marshall even dip a toe into free agency. That simply is not going to happen. However, after deals for Allen and Cutler, plus signing Lamarr Houston and giving a deal to Martellus Bennett last year, Chicago is running out of cash. Marshall said he does not mind waiting until next season if that is what it takes.
"I do want to be in a good position, but at the same time I definitely am not trying to be in the $15 million range. I get a year to deal with that, and right now I'm focusing on how to be a better teammate," Marshall said. "How can I grow as a receiver, as a man, as a leader on this team and also in the community. How can our foundation do bigger things? That stuff is going to take care of itself. We have all year to figure that out and I believe we'll get it done before the end of the season and I'm going to be happy when we do. "