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Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Marquise Brown finds himself in one of the most interesting situations in the NFL. He’s a primary pass-catcher on an offense that dominates opponents by rushing the ball.
The NFL has had a very difficult time catching up to the Ravens’ electric running attack, and the team probably won't deviate too much from what has worked so well for several seasons. But Brown’s value in particular is on a bit of a sliding scale due to the ground-and-pound scheme Baltimore deploys.
Drafted in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, “Hollywood” Brown was supposed to be one of the most scintillating talents left on the board when the Ravens selected him. After an impressive career at the University of Oklahoma, it seemed like he was primed to be a difference-maker in the NFL.
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After all, Marquise is the cousin of Antonio Brown, one of the best receivers in the league for the last decade.
At first, "Hollywood" Brown excelled in the NFL, as he made some dynamic plays as a rookie.
Brown is still just 23 years old, so he has plenty of room for growth. Still, his presence on the Ravens and value to the team is up in the air. Though Baltimore invested a decent amount of draft capital in him, Brown hasn't lived up to the hype yet. Should the Ravens take a good look at trying to move Brown to a different team this offseason?
Why The Ravens Should Keep Brown:
As a 23-year-old, Brown should just be scratching the surface of his potential in the NFL. He’s had two solid seasons, and compared to his rookie season, he improved on his numbers in year two.
Additionally, two of the primary concerns about Brown (his size and durability) haven't been notable factors in his career at this point. Brown has played in 30 of a possible 32 regular season games, so the team knows that he’s good bet to suit up.
It feels like the Ravens don't always utilize Brown's speed as much as they should, but it's definitely an asset. Before he played for the University of Oklahoma, Brown spent some time at Canyon Community College, where he ran a blistering 4.33 40-yard dash.
This exemplary speed is crucial when Baltimore tries to keep opposing secondaries honest, as it often forces safeties to play deeper than they’d like. Even if the Ravens aren’t connecting with Brown as much as they should in the passing game, his mere presence opens up their offense.
Why The Ravens Should Trade Brown:
There have been subtle signs that Brown isn’t entirely pleased with his role in the Ravens offense. Last November, in a tweet he eventually deleted, he wondered why Baltimore stockpiles offensive talent on the perimeter but doesn’t consistently utilize it.
According to Brown, he was a “soulja” that could have made a difference in some games that the team ended up losing. Receivers who want more involvement in their offense have demonstrated similar behavior before. If Brown’s discontent becomes more consistent and louder in volume, it could be a distracting element for the Ravens.
Still, Brown’s point about a lack of involvement might be something The Ravens will want to take a closer look at. From a need-based standpoint, the team has been one of the best teams in the league with what could be described as lackluster contribution from their number one wide receiver.
Is it possible that the team could get a less expensive player that matches Brown's skill set? The argument for Brown’s presence on the team could tilt could convince either the Ravens or another team to do whatever it takes to have a game-breaker in the playoffs when teams stack the box. But he hasn’t really been involved in decisive plays in the postseason.
Verdict: Keep Brown
Brown's future could go either way because he's a complementary player on the Ravens offense. The biggest reason Baltimore should try to keep Brown is for the development of quarterback Lamar Jackson as a passer.
It stands to reason that Jackson, as dynamic of a runner as he is, will one day have to operate in the pocket more than he does right now. When that day comes, possibly in the next few years, Brown’s presence will take on greater importance. As a familiar target, he could help Jackson thrive during that challenging transition, so the Ravens might opt to keep him after all.
