Cardinals' Marquise Brown reflects on Ravens trade: 'I just felt like sometimes they really didn't need me' – NFL.com

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Arizona receiver Marquise Brown will see a host of familiar faces when his new Cardinals team hosts his former Baltimore Ravens club Sunday for their second preseason game.
While Brown, along with most of the Cardinals starters, won’t play this weekend, the matchup against the club from which he requested a trade provided the impetus for questions about his departure. Brown said Wednesday that he didn’t have a personal issue with anyone in Baltimore but just wanted to play in a different offense.
“It’s about happiness,” Brown said, via the team’s official website. “I want to feel like I am a part of something to win. 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.
“I love the game too much. I want to be involved.”
Among receivers, Brown certainly got the lion’s share of targets in Baltimore, earning 146 last season, good for 10th-most in the NFL – one spot behind Ravens tight end Mark Andrews. But with the Ravens deploying a ground-first approach behind quarterback Lamar Jackson, Brown wanted to move to a more pass-happy offense like the one Kliff Kingsbury runs in Arizona.
With DeAndre Hopkins suspended for the first six games, the Cards need Hollywood to hit the ground running. While Brown hasn’t had a ton of reps with Kyler Murray, the quarterback said his chemistry with his former University of Oklahoma teammate remains intact.
“I think (chemistry) is already built,” Murray said. “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.”
Brown has dealt with a hamstring injury but declared himself 100 percent and will be ready for Week 1.
Mac Jones and the Patriots started off Friday’s preseason tripleheader with a win over the Panthers. Jordan Love and the Packers, and Nico Collins and the Texans followed with preseason victories.
Jimmy Garoppolo, despite the 49ers’ intentions to trade him and clear the way for the Trey Lance era, remains with the team and San Francisco chief executive officer Jed York is OK with keeping Jimmy G on the squad if it comes to that.
Former Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer will return to TV as a college football analyst on FOX’s “Big Noon Kickoff.”
Browns QB Jacoby Brissett is in line to start the first 11 games of the season following Deshaun Watson’s suspension. Brissett told reporters on Friday that his plan in his new role is to just be himself.
Miles Sanders was sidelined yet again at Eagles practice Friday by a hamstring injury. Find out what other NFL news we’re tracking this Friday.
The Cardinals will induct former owner Bill Bidwill into their Ring of Honor during halftime of their Week 1 game against the Chiefs on Sept. 11. Bidwill, the father of current Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill, died in 2019 at the age of 88.
The Carolina Panthers will sit Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold during Friday night’s preseason game against the Patriots. P.J. Walker will play the first and third quarters, while rookie Matt Corral will get the second and fourth.
Frank Reich remains optimistic that star linebacker Shaquille Leonard will be ready to play Week 1 despite undergoing back surgery in June. But Reich acknowledged that even if he’s cleared to play the season opener, Leonard likely won’t be at full force.
Last training camp, Dak Prescott dealt with a muscle strain in his throwing arm as he recovered from a fractured foot. This year, the Cowboys quarterback is healthy and impressing during offseason work.
Bengals star safety Jessie Bates continues to skip training camp after not agreeing to a long-term contract with the club. As Cincy awaits the return of the playmaker, Joe Burrow isn’t sweating the absence of the defensive leader.
Atlanta Falcons rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder said veteran Marcus Mariota has been like another coach for him this offseason and into preseason action.
Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet and quarterback Justin Fields worked on their chemistry this offseason, which was evident in their brief outing together Thursday night.
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