Broncos star receiver and restricted free agent Brandon Marshall will visit the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday, according to two NFL sources.
Marshall recently received a first-round tender from the Broncos.
For a myriad of reasons, Marshall would like to move on from the Broncos. His last three seasons have been both highly productive (at least 101 catches in each) and tumultuous. He held out from the team’s offseason workouts last year and issued a trade request.
This time, the Broncos may be getting close to accommodating Marshall’s desire to leave. The Seahawks have both the financial wherewithal to submit an attractive contract proposal to induce Marshall into signing an offer sheet, and they also have two first-round draft picks, one of which can be used to prevent the Broncos from matching the offer.
Other teams have expressed interest in Marshall, but Seattle would be a good fit because former Broncos’ play caller Jeremy Bates and former receivers coach Jedd Fish are now with the Seahawks. Marshall was a big fan of both coaches in 2008 when he had 104 catches in 15 games.
And the Seahawks just let receiver Nate Burleson leave for free agency and Detroit. The Broncos offered Marshall a multiyear contract last summer worth approximately $9.5 million a season. Marshall rejected the proposal in part because the contract structure had relatively little money up front, but mostly because the receiver preferred to play elsewhere.
Marshall admitted last week during the Darrent Williams’ murder trial that he “probably escalated” the disturbance outside The Safari Club in the minutes prior to Williams suffering a fatal bullet wound to his neck on Jan. 1, 2007. Willie Clark is the man accused of shooting Williams.
Mike Klis: 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com
