NFL Trade Rumors: Brandon Marshall shopped by Bears for mid-round draft pick

A deep free-agent class of wide receivers could be getting even deep if Brandon Marshall become part of it.

According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, the Bears are shopping Marshall around in hopes to get his contract off their books, and it might take just a mid-round draft pick to get him.

Marshall is coming off an injury-plagued year that saw him catch 61 passes for 721 yards. That combination along with the coaching and front-office changes in Chicago has led to rampant speculation that the Bears are ready to move on from the Pro-Bowl receiver.

One NFL source said the Bears are shopping Marshall with the idea of moving him. Another source said his belief is the team is taking calls in regard to Marshall. Trades cannot be finalized until 3 p.m. Tuesday.

One source said the Bears potentially could move him for a mid-round pick. It’s unknown if the team would consider releasing Marshall instead of locking into the contract for the coming season.

Biggs also notes the key date to watch with Marshall and the Bears comes on Thursday, March 12. That's when his base salary of $7.5 million for 2015 becomes fully guaranteed, and at that point, it becomes less likely Marshall gets moved.

Earlier this offseason, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report reported Marshall, Tampa Bay's Vincent Jackson, New York's Percy Harvin and Miami's Mike Wallace are all in line to be cut or traded this offseason if they don't take paycuts with their respective teams.