No one had a Marquise Brown trade on their NFL Draft bingo card to open the annual event in Las Vegas Thursday evening.
That’s why the NFL can be so unpredictable. As we’ve learned throughout the entire offseason, we have to expect the unexpected.
That includes the Arizona Cardinals pulling off a blockbuster trade for Brown with the Baltimore Ravens.
According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Brown has been dealt to the desert with the 100th pick fo the 23rd selection in the first round.
This might not be the same blockbuster deal that saw Davante Adams head to the Raiders and the Chiefs deal Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins. But it’s a pretty big trade.
Related: Trades we’d love to see during the 2022 NFL Draft
Marquise Brown trade reunites wide receiver with Kyler Murray
Brown and Kyler Murray played for the Oklahoma Sooners in 2017 and 2018 — creating one of the better tandems in college football. During that span, Brown recorded 132 receptions for 2,413 yards and 17 touchdowns.
With the Cardinals and Murray engaged in a contract stalemate, this is Arizona’s way to cater to the stud young quarterback. It also doesn’t hurt that Brown has had a history of success in the NFL.
- Marquise Brown stats (2019-21): 195 receptions, 2,361 yards, 21 TD, 62% catch rate
Brown will now team up with DeAndre Hopkins and Rondale Moore to form an elite three-headed wide receiver monster in Arizona.
Marquise Brown trade leaves questions for the Baltimore Ravens
We’re not 100% sure what to make of this from Baltimore’s perspective. The team did select Rashod Bateman in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. But there’s been continued issues finding consistent receiving threats for former NFL MVP Lamar Jackson in Baltimore.
We’ll have to wait and see what Baltimore does with the 23rd pick in the draft after it picked up former Notre Dame standout standout safety Kyle Hamilton earlier in the first round.
For now, Bateman is considered the Ravens’ No. 1 wide receiver. Whether that changes moving forward remains to be seen. It’s something that Baltimore will have to work through moving forward.