Conjecture Surrounds Marquise Brown's Future With Ravens
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ravens wide receiver Marquise Brown deleted all of his Ravens pictures on social media, which ramped up speculation about his future with the team.
There have even been unfounded rumors that Brown is considering retirement to become a professional gamer.
Brown has not elaborated on why he took down the photos so everything is conjecture at this point.
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray also unfollowed his team and took down all mentions and pictures of the team on social media.
However, he remains part of the Ravens plans.
Ravens GM Eric DeCosta confirmed the team will exercise the fifth-year option on Brown’s rookie contract, which will keep him with the team through the 2023 season. That option will cost Baltimore about $13 million.
Brown finished the 2021 season with 91 receptions for 1,008 yards with 6 touchdowns.
“Marquise was my first pick [as a GM],” DeCosta said. “I think very highly of Marquise. I think he is a talent. I love his personality, his competitiveness, his passion.”
Brown, a first-round pick in 2019, and tight end Mark Andrews each eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards on the year. It was just the second Ravens tandem to reach the 1,000-yard mark in the same season, joining Michael Jackson and Derrick Alexander who accomplished that feat in 1996.
“I feel like I had a weak 1,000 yards, but I’m grateful, [I’m] thankful," Brown said. "But [that was] definitely not how I wanted to end the season. We started the season off good. One of the key things I talked about was consistency, and I feel like the later half of the season wasn’t that consistent.
"So, for me, I’m going to go back to work and come back, and … 1,000 yards is really just like a base. That’s just … [I] really want to get in the playoffs, win Super Bowls and become a better player."
As a rookie with the Ravens, Brown caught 46 passes for 584 yards with seven touchdowns despite being hampered by a foot injury.
The following year, he caught 58 passes for 769 yards with eight scores.
Brown is a hard worker in the offseason, and this year will be crucial for him.
"I want to get even bigger, stronger, faster. And just keep working on my route running," Brown said. "We’re getting moved around with the offense. [I want to] work on my routes from the inside, work on my routes from the outside, work on contested catches, and just really everything that I possibly can get better at by the time September comes back around.”
That doesn't sound like someone who is planning to retire.
