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Marshall trade not likely to help Bears much

Whether they're actively shopping five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall (likely) or merely answering the phone if other teams (doubtful) call about his availability, the Bears won't get much in return.

The Bears acquired Marshall from Miami for a pair of third-round draft picks before the 2012 season. The Dolphins gave up two second-round picks to get him from Denver before the 2010 season.

The Bears will not get nearly as much this time around.

Marshall will be 31 later this month and is coming off an injury-plagued year in 2014, which was his least productive (61 catches, 721 yards) since his rookie season. Further diminishing his value is Marshall's reputation as a distraction on and off the field.

Just last season, there was his postgame locker room rant following a loss to the Dolphins, his weekly commitment to Showtime's "Inside the NFL" TV show, and he directed a practice field tirade at an assistant coach. That's the kind of behavior new general manager Ryan Pace and coach John Fox won't tolerate.

"I just want to make sure that we understand the Chicago Bears and football are our No. 1 priority moving forward," Pace said last month when asked about Marshall.

Regarding Marshall's TV commitment, Fox said: "I haven't really had a chance to visit about that. But I will say that regardless of who it is, I think their focus and energy needs to remain on what's going to help us win a championship."

For the new regime, it could be a case of addition by subtraction if Pace and Fox determine Marshall's production doesn't offset the distractions that come with him.

In terms of dollars, the Bears would save $3.95 million under the $143.28 million salary cap by parting with Marshall, whether he is traded or released before March 12, when his $7.5 million base salary becomes fully guaranteed.

When healthy, the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Marshall can be an elite receiver, and his production on the field makes his salary a good investment. In the 2012 and 2013 seasons, Marshall caught 218 passes for the Bears for 2,803 yards and 23 touchdowns, extending to seven his streak of consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.

The Bears could have given Marshall a push out the door by signing free agent receiver Brian Hartline when he visited Halas Hall on Wednesday. That, however, would have limited their ability to get anything of value for Marshall.

Hartline is eager to find a team after his release by the Dolphins, and he could still find a home in Chicago. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder visited the Browns before the Bears and was scheduled to meet Thursday with the Texans. The Texans could be looking to replace go-to wide receiver Andre Johnson gets his wish for a release after team officials said they expected a limited role for him.

The 28-year-old Hartline's production plummeted last season to 39 catches, 474 yards and 2 touchdowns. In his two previous seasons, Hartline topped 1,000 yards. He has averaged 14.2 yards per reception in his six years, but he has just 12 career touchdowns.

While the Bears could find a replacement for Marshall in next month's draft, which features a deep and talented group of receivers, Pace is expected to focus on adding defensive help.

• Follow Bob's Bears and NFL reports on Twitter@BobLeGere.

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