Marquise Brown felt like Ravens ‘didn’t need’ him, looking forward to being more involved with Cardinals

Marquise “Hollywood” Brown played with the Baltimore Ravens from 2019-2021, after the wide receiver selected No. 25 overall by the team. This offseason, Brown was traded to the Arizona Cardinals, and he already sees a difference in playing for the two organizations.

Brown says there is no bad blood with his former team, but he did not feel like he was an integral part of the offense in Baltimore.

“It’s about happiness. I want to feel like I am a part of something to win,” he said, via the Cardinals team site. “At the Ravens, I just felt like sometimes they really didn’t need me. Regardless if I was there or not, they were going to win games.”

On the Cardinals, he feels like he makes more of an impact and he will especially be needed the first six games of the regular season, with star receiver DeAndre Hopkins suspended for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

“I love the game too much. I want to be involved,” Brown says, and without Hopkins for the start of the season, he certainly will be.

Brown and quarterback Kyler Murray played together at Oklahoma from 2017-2018 and they say their familiarity has helped them as they reunite in Arizona.

“I think (chemistry) is already built. It’s the NFL, we still have to work on it. What we did, we did in the past. But there is a natural connection. It’s weird because we talk about it but we haven’t been on the field together in a long time,” Murray said. 

Brown also commented on the chemistry, saying, “Me and [Murray] can be apart for months, (then) get together in the summer going against DBs and we’re clicking like never before,” 

Brown feels comfortable with his quarterback, but in elevating his play and working on things he did not do with the Ravens, there is a learning curve.

“There are always going to be growing pains the first year in the offense,” head coach Kliff Kingsbury said. “But as we have said all along his familiarity with the offense based on his college experience definitely helps, and his comfort level with the quarterback is huge. I expect by Week 1 he’ll understand what we are trying to accomplish.”

Brown is prepared to put in the work and is excited to be on the Cardinals offense.

“Whenever I am in between the lines. I’m ready,” Brown said.

Brown will get his first opportunity to make an impact on the offense when the Cardinals kick off their regular season on Sept. 11 at home against the Kansas City Chiefs.