Brandon Marshall guarantees he’ll be top five NFL receiver in 2017

Brandon Marshall had a very quiet season with the New York Jets in 2016 after having one of the best years of his career the year before, but the six-time Pro Bowler insists the days of him putting up huge numbers are not over.

In an appearance on ESPN’s “First Take” Wednesday, Marshall was critical of his down season but promised 2017 will blow it out of the water.

“I’m not even in the top 30 (best receivers in NFL right now). I had 700-and-something yards,” he said, per Connor Hughes of NJ.com. “But this year, I promise you, I’ll be in the top five.”

Marshall caught just 59 passes for 788 yards and three touchdowns this season. He appeared to have discovered the fountain of youth in 2015, racking up 1,502 yards on 109 catches and a career-high 14 touchdowns. That eye-popping production was the main reason Marshall lobbied for the Jets to re-sign Ryan Fitzpatrick last offseason, and he assured the team he is not going to do that again this offseason with how horribly it worked out before.

If Marshall remains with the Jets in 2017, it’s tough to imagine him being one of the top five receivers in the NFL. New York’s quarterback situation is a complete disaster, with Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith expected to move on and Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg the only other options on the current roster.

Marshall wrote a check he couldn’t cash prior to this season, and it ended up costing him a luxury car. He may already be doing the same heading into his 12th year in the NFL.