NFL.com: Arizona a ‘shot in the dark’ landing spot for Brandon Marshall

One of the better receivers of his era landed on the market Friday when the New York Jets released Brandon Marshall.

Marshall, who is 32 years old but will be 33 when the 2017 season starts, is coming off a down season in which he caught just 59 passes for 788 yards and three touchdowns, each stat a far cry from his 2015, when he corralled 109 passes for 1,502 yards and 14 scores.

The 6-foot-4 player has been to six Pro Bowls, and though he is on the downside of his career may still be seen as a generally effective player.

So, where might he land?

NFL.com’s Marc Sessler put together a list of potential landing spots, and while they are not high in the pecking order, the Arizona Cardinals are on it.

7. Arizona Cardinals: A shot in the dark, but coach Bruce Arians isn’t afraid to test drive veteran players. After parting ways with Michael Floyd, the Cardinals have some use for Marshall. Future Hall of Fame wideout Larry Fitzgerald was marvelous again last season, but no other receiver on the roster topped 39 catches. A healthy John Brown will help, but the Cardinals need more help at this position if they want to chase glory during Carson Palmer’s last hoorah.

There are a lot of reasons why Marshall to the Cardinals seems like a pipe dream, chief among them the fact that he will likely seek a contract that is too rich for Arizona to afford. However, if he was willing to take a smaller salary, there could be room for him in the receiver room.

As Sessler noted, the Cardinals parted with one of their big receivers in Floyd last season, and after Fitzgerald are left with mostly smaller, faster options.

Brown is expected to have a better 2017, but his status is a bit murky as he’s dealt with a sickle-cell trait that limited him to just 39 catches, 517 yards and two touchdowns last season. Another receiver, J.J. Nelson, showed flashes, but is far from a proven commodity.

Are the Cardinals willing to go into the 2017 season with, essentially, just one proven receiver?

While Marshall is not the player he was with the Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins or even Chicago Bears, lining up with Arizona’s other wideouts with Palmer under center is, if nothing else, an intriguing proposition.

But that’s probably all it will be.

Sessler had the Cardinals down on his list for a reason, as he believes the Baltimore Ravens, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Tennessee Titans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills all might make more sense. They have more money to spend on a receiver than Arizona, as well as a more clearly-defined need at the position.

However, until Marshall signs with another team, the possibility that he will land in the desert can exist, even if it’s unlikely.

Follow @theAdamGreen