Hollywood is heading West.
On Thursday night, during the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens pulled off a big trade: They sent receiver Marquise Brown to the Arizona Cardinals, where he’ll now catch passes from his former Oklahoma QB in Kyler Murray. That should make Murray happy … although he’s had a very unhappy offseason to say the least.
That gave the Ravens an extra first-round pick after they took Kyle Hamilton earlier in the night. The Cardinals got Brown and the 100th pick this year.
So who won or lost this one? Let’s break it all down with some grades:
First, the details
(AP Photo/Brett Carlsen)
RAVENS GET: First-round pick
CARDINALS GET: Marquise Brown and a third-round pick
Ravens: B
I’m grading this a little bit before the Ravens make their selection, and I was set to give this like an A-minus … but then Lamar Jackson tweeted and he does NOT SOUND HAPPY.
Look, they do have Rashod Bateman. By the time you read this, the Ravens might use that pick to get another receiver. And I know Baltimore runs the ball a ton.
But that combo isn’t making me feel optimistic!
UPDATE: The Ravens traded down with the Bills and then took Tyler Linderbaum out of Iowa, so I’m changing it from a B- to B. But Jackson is still unhappy!
Wtf
— Lamar Jackson (@Lj_era8) April 29, 2022
Cardinals: B
OK. I get it. Reuniting Brown with Murray makes both parties very happy, and getting into the business of making Murray happy is a good idea for Arizona.
Brown replaces Christian Kirk — who left in free agency — and the hope is that he can carry over the production from last year in Baltimore when Hollywood had 91 catches. But that was his first 1,000-yard season. He’s never really been a WR1, so I’m thinking the Cardinals are banking on him being even better with an old friend.
For the cost of a first-rounder, that had better be the case.
