Oakland Raiders: Preseason Week 3 — Stock Up/Stock Down
By Nico Di Fede
Stock Down: Justin Ellis, NT and Brandon Marshall, LB
I put these two together despite playing different positions because they were both assumed starters and listed as such on the official depth chart. Justin Ellis hasn’t played at all this preseason after signing a three year, $13.5 million extension back in March.
As a result, his stock is, of course, not due to his play over these past three preseason games, but because of the impressive performances of a couple of other defensive linemen that are fighting for roster spots in Ethan Westbrooks and Anthony Rush.
The Raiders are not likely at all to cut Ellis as doing so would leave them with $2.25 million in dead cap, but Ellis has never really made an impact for the Raiders defense throughout his five-year career which is why his contract extension was kind of baffling.
Ellis’ decreasing stock may not cost him a roster spot, but he may very well of lost a starting spot. Or he could during the regular season if he doesn’t take a big step up this year and the younger guys behind him continue to impress.
Brandon Marshall, on the other hand, has played in all three preseason games, checking in for 26 plays, which was good for 36% of the team’s defensive snaps, in this past game against the Packers.
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Marshall was signed to be the team’s weak-side linebacker, which is typically the position the most athletic linebacker on the roster plays. They need to be able to cover and roam the field sideline to sideline but aren’t required to be great at shedding blocks or shooting specific gaps like the other two linebacker roles.
Marshall used to be solid in this role, but after a season-ending ankle injury in 2017 and a knee injury in 2018, the 33-year-old veteran has lost most of that athleticism.
Marshall was by no means picked on in this game, but he did give up a first down catch in zone coverage where he committed a facemask penalty while making the tackle.
Jason Cabinda also had a couple of nice snaps in coverage and current backup to Marshall, Nicholas Morrow, had some nice plays where he flashed his athleticism.
I have no idea if Marshall is actually on the roster bubble in the coaches’ eyes, but I do think he is surely competing for a starting job. and when comparing him to Morrow it seems like it is an uphill battle for him at this point.