Arizona Cardinals WR Marquise Brown is set to hit the open market for the first time in his career, and Hollywood's new contract could sway on either end of the spectrum.
Brown arrived in the desert a couple years ago on a draft day trade with the Baltimore Ravens. Then projected to work as a strong No. 2 behind DeAndre Hopkins, the Cardinals believed they had their duo of the future.
As time would tell, the Cardinals would hit the reset button, Hopkins would depart and Brown simply wasn't able to make good on the potential he flashed while in Arizona.
Will Brown thrive in a new environment?
Bleacher Report recently named Marquise Brown one of the biggest risk/reward free agents this offseason:
"Five years into Marquise Brown's career, plenty of questions still surround the talented but often unreliable 2019 first-round pick," wrote Brad Gagnon.
"There's a reason the Baltimore Ravens gave up on the undersized wide receiver just three years into his tenure there, and injuries as well as a lack of support and stability within the Arizona Cardinals offense have conspired to limit the 26-year-old to just 1,283 yards over the course of the last two seasons.
"A new setting didn't fix Brown in 2022 and 2023, but that wasn't exactly a talent-drenched environment. He could take off in 2024 and beyond, and he'll likely be paid according to that expectation, but it's just as likely his career will continue to sputter."
There's no denying Brown can still take the top off of a defense when permitted, though for various reasons he's failed to take the next step in the desert.
Brown's Spotrac estimated contract value is $14.8 million per season while PFF has him projected at a one-year deal worth $12 million.
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