Cardinals Need Marquise Brown More Than Ever in 2023
The Arizona Cardinals have the ability to shock nearly everybody outside of the facility with a strong 2023 season - but to do that, they'll need a few guys to step up.
There's been your normal names in the likes of Kyler Murray and Budda Baker that will need to play up to par for Arizona to win over their projected four games this year, though it'll take more help than that.
Cc: Marquise Brown.
Hollywood arrived in the desert as a secondary piece to play under DeAndre Hopkins, and now the former Baltimore Ravens receiver will have the opportunity to play an entire season as the Cardinals' No. 1 option.
We saw a glimpse of that in 2022 - in a total of eight games without Hopkins, Brown secured 50 catches for 553 yards and three touchdowns according to StatMuse. While Hopkins served his initial six-game suspension, only a foot injury brought Brown back down to earth.
Now in the final year of his rookie deal, Brown's looking to push the boundaries of a breakout performance, something that would benefit both player and team. The Cardinals drafted Michael Wilson and still have Rondale Moore and Greg Dortch - but make no mistake, Brown will have every opportunity to show why he's the guy.
Pro Football Focus recently dubbed Brown as Arizona's most important player (who doesn't play quarterback):
"New Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon has a ton of work to do on Arizona’s defense, so their best chance to win games will be the return of Kyler Murray and a revitalized passing attack. Marquise Brown stands as the top option after DeAndre Hopkins’ departure," wrote Dalton Wasserman.
"Brown was a 2019 first-round of the Ravens, acquired by Arizona in a 2022 draft-night trade. He has just one 1,000-yard season and has yet to tally a season-long receiving grade over 75.0. He shows flashes — his 140-yard performance against the Rams last season sticks out — but injuries and inconsistency have hampered him. A breakout coinciding with a healthy Murray would be welcomed in Arizona."
Brown himself knows it's a big year.
"I want to prove I could be the guy. I want to prove that as an offense, as a team, that we can be that team that we know we can be," said Brown. "I feel like everybody feels that way - from coaches to the players.
"I feel like I haven't played my best football yet. I've been working this whole offseason just to make sure I can sustain a healthy season and showcase my ability for a full season."
Murray's timeline for a return is still unknown, but there's hope the dynamic duo can reunite to the level displayed during their Oklahoma days back at the college level.
Regardless, only health is stopping Brown from opportunities to prove himself. If the Cardinals are indeed going to shock the world, Brown could be a large piece to that puzzle.
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