National Football League

Marshall reportedly chose to be dealt to Jets because of Smith

Published Jun. 13, 2015 1:58 p.m. ET

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When Brandon Marshall was traded to the New York Jets, many wondered if the former Pro Bowl wide receiver would mesh with quarterback Geno Smith. Since Smith was drafted in 2013, he's been heavily criticized for his lack of production on the field.

But Marshall was not only undeterred by Smith's slow start to his career, he reportedly wanted to go to the Jets because of the third-year quarterback.

"I was really shocked at the intelligence, how smart he was," Marshall told NFL.com. "I had known him as a player from afar. I didn't know his football IQ was so high. He had crazy passion. When I talked to him, I fell in love with the conversation. I said, this is a real opportunity, we have a great defense, great pieces on offense. If we can come together and gel, we may not be the best in Year 1, but if we can be effective and not turn over the ball, we can be in every game."

Marshall, who was dealt from the Chicago Bears to the Jets for a fifth-round pick, moved in with Smith earlier this offseason to improve their chemistry.

"We're growing every single day," Marshall said. "I look at it like a little brother. Rooming with him has really speeded up that process. We look at each other a different way. It just makes you want to fight that much harder. We have our ups and downs as far as trying to learn the offense -- he wants me to look for a back-shoulder and I'm running down the field -- but I've got to say, in the last two weeks, we've made a pretty significant jump. We're starting to see the game the same way. It comes from hours and hours of communication, or walking through it at the house."

Marshall is coming off his worst statistical season since his rookie year, finishing with 61 catches for 721 yards and eight touchdowns. His season was limited to 13 games after suffering a collapsed lung against the Cowboys on Dec. 4.