Tag: Marlon Brown

Marlon Brown goes out of his way to thank Ravens organization

Former Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Marlon Brown went out of his way to thank the organization on Sunday.

The Baltimore Ravens have uncovered plenty of diamonds in the rough during the course of their franchise history. They’ve traded late-round draft picks for good young players, signed undrafted free agents who’ve developed into stars, and are always looking to give opportunities to prospects that they feel can contribute.

One player who Baltimore gave a chance to as an undrafted rookie was wide receiver Marlon Brown. He went the entire 2013 NFL Draft without hearing his name called, but signed with the Ravens hoping to prove himself and get a shot to make an impact. Brown did just that, making the team and stepping up when he was needed.

Brown posted a series of tweets on Twitter in what seemed like his official retirement announcement, and went out of his way to say how appreciative he was of the Ravens organization.

He also gave a shout out to Torrey Smith, his former Baltimore teammate.

Over the course of his three years with Baltimore, Brown caught 87 passes for 891 yards and seven touchdowns. His seven scores all came in his rookie year, but he still stepped up when his name was called in every season he played for the franchise.

Brown also spent time with two other organizations, but never played in a game with them. It’s clear that the former wide receiver’s heart is forever with the Ravens, and there’s no doubt he’ll always be loved in Baltimore.

Ravens haven’t been afraid of slow WRs in the past

Of the few wide receivers who have run slowly at the NFL Scouting Combine, the Baltimore Ravens have employed a surprising number.

It’s no secret the Baltimore Ravens have struggled to find and develop wide receivers over the last 25 years. From not spending picks early in drafts to first-round busts and signing players past their prime, Baltimore just hasn’t done well at the position overall. Though the Ravens seem to be changing their luck, seeing Marquise Brown do well in his rookie campaign, it’s an issue that will continue to haunt the team until they have sustained success there.

Looking back over the last 19 years, there’s a bit of a pattern that emerges — Baltimore isn’t exactly afraid of slow wide receivers. Though there are very few wide receivers who have run a 4.61-second 40-yard dash or slower at the NFL Scouting Combine, quite a number of them have ended up on the Ravens’ roster.

Of the 24 wide receivers Baltimore has drafted since 2000, two of them are on this list — Tandon Doss and Ron Johnson. Another, Marlon Brown, was signed as an undrafted free agent. The Ravens have brought in another four via free agency or trade — Anquan Boldin, Vince Mayle, Willie Snead and Ryan Grant (a failed physical voided the signing). Considering seven of the 157 receivers on this list are entering the 2020 NFL Draft and a bunch more never even made it to the NFL, that’s a considerable number for Baltimore to have brought on board.

While speed is just one factor that makes a successful wide receiver, it’s clear it’s a pretty important one overall. Of the players on this list, far more have never played a snap in the NFL than had even average careers. Further, only Boldin, Jarvis Landry, Cooper Cupp and Koren Robinson have what could be considered above-average careers to date.

As the Ravens look to the 2020 NFL Draft to potentially address their need at wide receiver, it’s something they should keep in mind. With general manager Eric DeCosta saying there are only 25 “draftable” wide receivers in this class, it might point to Baltimore having learned their lesson.

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