58 games played, 262 receptions for 3,070 yards, and 24 touchdowns. This is what Marquise Brown brings to the Arizona Cardinals as their now No. 1 receiver. Furthermore, Brown now becomes the primary playmaker on a team having few.
With the smoke now cleared after the departure of DeAndre Hopkins, Brown becomes a needed player to help the Cardinals put points on the scoreboard. It is also possible that he could see three quarterbacks before Thanksgiving. The veteran Colt McCoy has experience with the Cardinals offense. Unfortunately, fans saw his ceiling when he filled in for Murray. Jeff Driskel is a good fit for any offense designed toward Murray’s strengths. In a crunch, he is serviceable. Rookie Clayton Tune, meanwhile, offers some upside at the position. He brings more to the Cardinals than the three veterans do, but until game time, it is hard to know what he has under the bright NFL lights.
This alone will present a unique set of challenges for Brown as Arizona prepares for a potential sustained regular season without Murray.
No Hopkins, No Problem for Marquise Brown, Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals did get a glimpse of a field without Hopkins. While D-Hop was out last year to a six-game suspension, Brown became the de-facto No. 1 pass catcher. Through six games, Marquise Brown racked up 43 catches for 485 yards and three touchdowns for the Cardinals. Both he and Murray had an obvious chemistry had not previously witnessed.
“I want to prove that I can be the guy,” Brown said. “I want to prove that as an offense, as a team that we can be that team that we know we can be. And I feel like everybody feels that way from coaches to all the players.” Courtesy arizonasports.com
In his first season as head coach, Jonathan Gannon is well aware of what Brown can do to the opposing defenses the Cardinals will face in 2023. Gannon knows, from his years as an NFL defensive coach, that Brown is a tough cover.
In the shadow of Hopkins, the Cardinals wide receiver did not have an opportunity to show he could be “the guy”. Brown has great speed, solid top-of-route instincts, and can change release patterns on the fly. He is a serious threat and more than capable of ripping off the explosive play that can be labeled as a game changer when opportunity calls.
Releasing Hopkins was seen by many fans as a mistake – a rookie error by new General Manager Monti Ossenfort. In hindsight, much has come to light as to why Hopkins will not be missed in the desert. Most recently, it was reported he did not like to practice. Another of a few reasons why this Arizona Cardinals team is better without Hopkins.
Hollywood Brown has a solid team temperament that will serve Arizona well. While the Cardinals are not expected to do much or be much but a team in waiting for the next draft, Brown will be a bright spot. Especially on an offense needing all the bright spots they can get.
Main Photo: Michael Chow – USA Today Sports
