Prior to the Cardinals acquiring Marquise Brown during the first round, the Ravens discussed the deep threat with the Chiefs and Packers, SI.com’s Howard Balzer tweets.
Given both contenders’ receiver moves this offseason, their involvement in these trade talks should not surprise. The Cardinals’ somewhat surprising offer — headlined by the No. 23 overall pick — won out, and neither the Chiefs nor Packers selected a wide receiver in the first round. Despite holding two first-rounders apiece, Green Bay and Kansas City enter Day 2 of the draft with needs at the position.
Although the teams’ market-shifting Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill trades had more of an impact on the A.J. Brown trade than the one involving the Baltimore wideout, the moves left the Chiefs and Packers in need. Kansas City does not appear to feature the same level of need as Green Bay, thanks to Marquez Valdes-Scantling‘s Missouri relocation, but the team was linked to a wideout move ahead of the draft. The Packers have done well with second-round receiver picks; perhaps this is the direction Green Bay goes Friday.
Lamar Jackson expressed frustration after the Brown trade commenced, but the former MVP knew about the latter’s trade request. Despite Jackson’s Twitter activity Thursday night, GM Eric DeCosta informed the star quarterback of the move before it happened, per Pro Football Focus’ Doug Kyed. Brown did as well, being at the Cardinals’ draft party Thursday night.
“It was just … my happiness,” Brown said during an appearance on the I Am Athlete Tonight podcast (via Pro Football Talk). “I talked to Lamar about it after my second year. And then after my third year, leading up to the end of the season, you know, [Jackson] wasn’t playing. I let him know again, like, ‘Yeah, bro, I can’t do it.’
“You know, it’s not really on Lamar, like I love Lamar. It was just, you know, it’s just the system just wasn’t for me personally. You know, I love all my teammates. I love the guys. It was just something I had to think about for myself.”
The Ravens’ run-heavy system has steered receivers (including Smith-Schuster) away in the past, and Brown’s exit leaves Baltimore with a bit of a need at the position. This reunites Brown with Oklahoma teammate Kyler Murray, a scenario Brown said the two discussed this winter (via 98.7 Arizona Sports’ Tyler Drake, on Twitter). Brown, who is coming off his first NFL 1,000-yard season, played a big role in Murray winning the 2018 Heisman Trophy. The 5-foot-9 target caught 75 passes for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore, catching the Ravens’ eye in the 2019 first round.
A.J Brown trade? Big, shocking one. This trade? Meh.
I’m shocked about the trade. You’re giving up a first round pick for a guy who’s going into his fourth season you picked up the fifth year but you’re getting a guy who’s a diminutive receiver he’s not very big and to me when you have a small quarterback who needs a large window to throw the ball to you want big receivers. Like you got to marry those two things together you just can’t have a separation you just can’t have five point guards out there it won’t work.
And when people say: “Yeah we needed someone to come back and handle Christian Kirk’s role.” Okay, great you got him but let me ask you this question: What did Marquise Brown do he’s averaged 11.1 a catch? What has he done to really make you think he’s really an elite receiver?…. Aaand now you gotta pay him!! I’m missing the value of the player. I know he comes in with a lot of fanfare because he played at Oklahoma and he was apart of the Munchkin Land Crew.
Part of that is he hasn’t had a decent QB throwing to him yet. Not sure if KM is that either, but he’s a better passer than that RB playing QB in Baltimore.
Packers are gonna love Wandale.
Isn’t he like 5’4”?
“You know, it really isn’t on Lamar…” but, given he has been the starting QB for the team your whole career there, who else could it be about?