Tag: Marquise Brown

Baker Mayfield, other Oklahoma players named best player to wear their number per The Athletic

Oklahoma tops the list at four numbers and earned 38 honorable mentions on the world-class list.

With the entire world on hold, it has given us time to reflect on the past. The Athletic embraced debate and decided to compile a list of the best players to ever wear each jersey number, 1-99.

Oklahoma tops the list at four numbers and earned 38 honorable mentions on the world-class list.

Baker Mayfield earns the spot for No. 6. The 2017 Heisman Trophy winner and 2018 No. 1 pick began his career as a walk-on. Twice. He was three-for-three on Big 12 championships as a starter at Oklahoma and was a Heisman vote-getter in three consecutive seasons.

Two-time All-American and two-time national champion running back Tommy McDonald ranks as the best to ever wear No. 25. In 31 games under coach Bud Wilkinson, McDonald rushed for 1,696 yards, gained 420 yards through the air, and finished his career with 35 total touchdowns.

Newly appointed College Football Hall of Fame member Rickey Dixon is remembered as the best to wear No. 29. Dixon was a Jim Thorpe Award winner and an All-American at the safety position in 1987. A true ball hawk, Dixon snagged eight of his 16 career interceptions in his 1987 season.

The second Sooner to ever win a Heiman Trophy, Steve Owens is synonymous with No. 36. With back-to-back seasons (1968-69) of 1,500+ yard rushing seasons, Owens had one of the most elite careers not just in Oklahoma history, but college football history. Owens ended his career just under 4,000 yards rushing in 31 games (3,928) and a remarkable 59 touchdowns.

Honorable mentions:  Kyler Murray (No. 1), Derrick Strait (No. 2), Marquise Brown (No. 5), Tedy Lehman & Dede Westbrook (No. 11), Sam Bradford & Josh Heupel (No. 14), Jason White (No. 18), Billy Sims (No. 20), Joe Washington (No. 24), Adrian Peterson & George Cumby (No. 28), Gregg Pruitt (No. 30), Samaje Perine (No. 32), Billy Vessels (No. 35), Roy Williams (No. 38), Leon Heath (No. 40), Rod Shoate (No. 43), Brian Bosworth (No. 44), Kurt Burris (No. 51), Jerry Tubbs (No. 53), Tom Brahaney (No. 54), Jammal Brown (No. 55), J.D. Roberts (No. 64), Greg Roberts & Bill Krisher (No. 65), Granville Liggins (No. 66), Anthony Phillips (No. 68), Orlando Brown Jr. (No. 78), Mark Hutson (No. 79), Rick Bryan (No. 80), Ryan Broyles (No. 85), Keith Jackson (No. 88), Dewey Selmon (No. 91), Tony Casillas (No. 92),  Lee Roy Selmon & Gerald McCoy (No. 93), Tommie Harris (No. 97)

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson working out with Marquise, Antonio Brown

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Marquise Brown and his cousin Antonio Brown were catching passes from Lamar Jackson

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson isn’t letting the coronavirus keep him from working out. Like many other NFL players and NFL Draft prospects, Jackson is getting some time on the field in preparation for the 2020 season. That should be expected for Jackson, who used frequent workouts last offseason to transform into the 2019 NFL MVP. But what might be a little odd is who Jackson was working out with.

In a photo posted by Ravens wide receiver Marquise Brown on Twitter, Jackson is spotted with his arms hanging around his own target as well as former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown.

Jackson posted a video of him throwing a 50-yard bomb to Antonio Brown on his Instagram, while Brown put up video of him catching passes on various routes as well.

The two Browns cousins have been posting photos on Instagram and Twitter posing with each other this offseason. In one of their latest, the pair were with former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson.

The photos and videos have drawn speculation from fans that Brown could be joining Baltimore. However, the Ravens have been quiet in free agency at wide receiver and seem to be looking towards the 2020 NFL Draft to find some additional help for Jackson. It’s also tough to see Baltimore, who has strived to sign quality character guys in recent years, signing someone with Brown’s baggage.

While at his best, Brown is unmistakably one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. However, the last year has been rough for Brown with frequent off-the-field problems popping up and keeping him from playing.

Brown earned a trade from the Steelers last offseason, joining the Oakland Raiders before a series of odd events that included burning his feet using cryotherapy and disputes over his helmet caused his release from the organization. Brown ended up playing one game with the New England Patriots last season before being released after a lawsuit was filed by his former trainer that alleges he sexually assaulted her.

Sadly, Brown’s issues don’t stop there. The All-Pro wide receiver routinely lashed out on social media and posted a live video of an expletive-laced confrontation with police in front of his house. Brown also turned himself in on an arrest warrant for burglary and battery of a truck driver, prompting agent Drew Rosenhaus to drop him as a client.

Now currently under investigation by the NFL, it’s unclear if Brown will be suspended if signed and just how much any punishment from the league would be.

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Watch: Antonio Brown works out with Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, Hollywood Brown

Troubled wideout Antonio Brown worked out with the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson and Marquise Brown.

Wonder if this could put some thoughts or temptation into the mind of Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh.

His NFL MVP Lamar Jackson and star rookie wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown are working out with a former Pro Bowl receiver: Hollywood’s cousin, Antonio Brown.

The trio may be activated but have to wonder if the Ravens’ organization has concerns over two of its younger stars working out with the troubled and controversial former Steelers, Raiders and Patriots star.

The Ravens should be in the market for a wideout at the upcoming NFL Draft. They have nine picks, including five in the first three rounds. Baltimore’s wide receivers totaled 115 catches last season, which were 22 fewer than any other team in the NFL.

Ravens’ biggest needs before NFL free agency begins

The Ravens have done a good job of limiting their roster needs but have a few holes they still need to patch up in free agency and the draft

Even though the Baltimore Ravens went 14-2 in 2019, they didn’t achieve their ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl. However, there were a lot of positives to take away from a year that some, if not most, thought was going to be a step back from their 10-6 campaign in 2018.

As free agency approaches, Baltimore has a few holes on their roster that need filling. If the team can make a big splash and find cost-effective options to strengthen an already strong roster, it could be the beginning of another successful campaign in 2020.

Let’s take a look at some of the needs that the Ravens need to fill ahead of free agency.

Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images

EDGE

Though the Ravens have used the franchise tag on outside linebacker Matthew Judon and traded for Calais Campbell, they still need another outside linebacker to rush off the edge. This was a defense that performed well in spite of ranking 21st in the league in sacks and ranked 16th in pressure rate per dropback.

Though defensive coordinator Don Martindale utilized blitzes at the highest rate in the NFL last season, Baltimore struggled to win one-on-one matchups largely thanks to a lack of talent both inside and out, beyond Judon. They’ve certainly done a lot to fix interior pass rush with Campbell but will need more help to free up Judon from double teams.

The positive here is that the Ravens don’t necessarily need a top-tier free agent to fill that void, though it would be nice. Instead, they could look for a more cost-effective option to supplement whoever they grab in the 2020 NFL Draft.

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10 reasons Ravens fans should be excited about the future

A look at the reasons why spirits should be high in Baltimore and their tradition as one of the best franchises in football will continue.

I know it can be disheartening when a team with one of the best seasons in franchise history –maybe even NFL history if you count all the records broken — suffers an unexpected and somewhat uncharacteristic loss at the hands of a seemingly lesser team. But for the Baltimore Ravens, all is certainly not lost after the 2019 season.

Sure, every season is a proverbial question mark before it eventually takes shape, even for the most successful NFL franchises when you account for all the variables. But the Ravens have a lot to be excited about heading into what is typically an uncertain future.

Let’s take a look at 10 reasons why spirits should be high in Baltimore and their tradition as one of the best franchises in football will continue.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Lamar Jackson

We have to start with the NFL’s most electric quarterback. It’s hard not to be excited about the future with the prospect of Jackson leading the offense in Baltimore for years to come.

In only his second year, Jackson seemingly defied all the odds, all the naysayers, and all the NFL records on his way to an unprecedented season and MVP honor.

Even though he has yet to win a playoff game, what Jackson accomplished this season — passing for over 3,000 yards, rushing for the new league record by a quarterback, and leading the league in touchdown passes — was nothing short of remarkable. His losses in the postseason are only fueling his desire to win and ultimately fulfill his promise of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in Baltimore.

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Marquise Brown had surgery to remove screw in his foot

After dealing with a nagging foot injury in his rookie campaign, Baltimore Ravens WR Marquise Brown had surgery to take out a screw.

When the Baltimore Ravens took wide receiver Marquise Brown in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, they knew he was coming to them as damaged property. Roughly a year after having foot surgery to repair a Lisfranc injury, Brown went back under the knife to fix the fix.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Brown had surgery this offseason to remove a screw from the previous surgery. The hope is that the surgery will allow Brown to get back to 100% this season, even if he’ll be limited in the offseason program.

Brown still had an impressive rookie season, though he admitted he wasn’t 100% and could actually run faster. Brown caught 46 passes for 584 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns over 14 games last season, including a breakout performance in Week 1 where he torched the Miami Dolphins to the tune of 147 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns on four receptions. Brown is expected to get even better in 2020, especially if he’s finally able to get healthy.

Coming into the 2019 NFL Draft many pundits wondered if Brown’s small frame would lead to durability issues and it haunted his rookie campaign. Brown not only dealt with the nagging foot injury but injuries to both his hip and ankle that caused him to have a “questionable” designation on the final injury report of seven games while missing two entirely.

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NFL mock draft: Ravens balance their passing attack with a No. 1 WR

The Ravens balance the inside speed and agility they have at wide receiver with big Clemson WR Tee Higgins in my latest 2020 NFL mock draft

The Baltimore Ravens have already begun taking care of their needs this offseason, signing safety Chuck Clark early to a three-year contract extension. The move solidifies the secondary for at least the next two years and eliminates a potential need from their radar.

As each move happens, it’s going to greatly affect how the rest of the offseason plays out for the Ravens. With the secondary now not a concern for a while, Baltimore could choose to turn their attention elsewhere in the 2020 NFL draft, even if a better defensive back is on the board. In my latest mock draft, I took a stab at playing general manager for Baltimore and grabbing the most exciting player I could.

With the No. 28 pick in the 2020 NFL draft, using The Draft Network’s simulator, I chose Clemson wide receiver Tee Higgins.

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While I had a few guys higher up on my draft board — linebacker Kenneth Murray and safety Grant Delpit specifically — I couldn’t pass up pairing Higgins with Marquise Brown and Lamar Jackson.

Where Jackson struggled at times last season was in finding a go-to receiver to move the chains. While tight end Mark Andrews was often that guy earlier in the season, defenses honed in on him by the end of the year and were able to force Jackson to use his legs to try and pick up first downs a little too often. So, heading into this offseason, finding a big-bodied wide receiver with sure hands and solid route running on the outside to balance the Ravens’ speed inside is a priority. And Higgins fits that billing perfectly.

At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Higgins has the size to box out smaller defensive backs and the physicality to handle press coverage. When he’s targeted, he attacks the football and makes impressive catches, including those in traffic and outside his frame. Though he’s not a speed demon, Higgins has enough to go deep and the tracking skills to haul in those passes as well, which will force some defensive backs to give him a little cushion.

When paired with the deep-speed capability and agility of Brown and Willie Snead, Higgins should be able to feast in short and intermediate routes as a possession and red-zone receiver. He’s the type of receiver that is often open even when you think he’s well covered and that’s exactly what Jackson and this Ravens offense need to sustain drives when the run isn’t working.

Though this is an incredibly deep wide receiver class, picking up an immediate starter to strengthen Baltimore’s already top-ranked scoring offense makes them even deadlier. With no sure things at pass rusher or on the interior offensive line, I went with the player who would make the biggest impact the fastest. And with Higgins on the roster, the Ravens might actually be unstoppable offensively.

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Ravens rookie report card: Which rookies excelled and which ones struggled in 2019

The Baltimore Ravens had eight picks in the 2019 NFL draft. But how did they all perform this season?

Eric DeCosta wrapped up his first season as the Baltimore Ravens’ general manager. By all accounts, DeCosta did a great job of finding capable free agents and trades, plugging them into Baltimore’s system to great results. Whether it was during the offseason or in the middle of the season, DeCosta seemingly got the right guys for the job, helping propel the Ravens to a franchise-best 14-2 record.

But a big portion of what DeCosta will be evaluated on is how his draft picks eventually turn out. Though a rookie campaign is hardly indicative of how a career will turn out, the teams that get the most from their draft picks early tend to be the teams still in the hunt in January.

Let’s take a quick look back at who the Ravens chose in the 2019 NFL draft and how their rookie seasons went.

Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

1st round (No. 25) – WR Marquise Brown

One of the biggest concerns for Brown coming into the 2019 NFL draft was his injury history and smaller frame. While Baltimore could have easily gone into the pick willing to have a limited rookie campaign due to Brown’s foot injury, they actually got him back in time for Week 1. However, Brown dealt with injuries all season long, ultimately missing two games and not quite getting to 100% at any point in his rookie season.

Still, Brown had an admirable season, especially by Ravens rookie wide receiver standards. He caught 46 passes for 584 yards and seven touchdowns.

When compared to the rookie seasons of every other wide receiver Baltimore has ever had, Brown sits near the top in every category. Brown ranks third in receptions, second in receiving yards and is tied for first in receiving touchdowns for a single season. If he can get healthy and faster for his second season, the Ravens might have broken their draft curse at wide receiver finally.

Grade: B-

Brown / Ferguson / Boykin / Hill / Powers / Marshall / Mack / McSorley / Mekari

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Should Ravens have any interest in signing Dez Bryant?

The former Cowboys wide receiver has hinted that he’d like to play for the Ravens. Should they have any interest in signing him?

Wide receiver Dez Bryant hasn’t played in the NFL since he was released by the Dallas Cowboys following the 2017 season. He had the proverbial cup of coffee with the New Orleans Saints in 2018, tearing his Achilles tendon during his second day with the team. Since then, all has been silent.

But Bryant hasn’t given up on an NFL return. On Twitter, he identified three “dream” teams he’d like to play for, and the Baltimore Ravens were among them.

Bryant clearly finds the prospect of playing with the presumptive league MVP, quarterback Lamar Jackson, an attractive one, as many wide receivers around the NFL should.

Bryant would bring a great pedigree with him. Between 2010 and 2017, Bryant amassed 7,460 receiving yards, which was the seventh-most in the NFL. He also had a well-developed nose for the end zone. Bryant’s 73 touchdowns in the span mentioned trailed only Rob Gronkowski.

Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

The Ravens could certainly stand to upgrade their wide receiver corps ahead of the 2020 season. Rookie Marquise Brown (46 receptions for 584 yards) was the only wide receiver with more than 31 receptions and 500 yards last season. Baltimore’s wideouts were targeted 181 times, the lowest of any NFL team.

However just because the team needs a wide receiver does not mean it should sign Bryant. After all, this is a player who has been out of the league for two years, and he wasn’t exactly at the peak of his powers during his last days in Dallas.

In 2017 he offered practically nothing after the catch, with only 31% of his 839 yards coming that way. Bryant was also far from sure-handed, dropping 9% of his catchable targets. The Ravens have more than enough players to drop passes on the roster already — the AFC divisional-round loss to the Titans showed that. Plus, in an impassioned plea to the Cowboys, Bryant offered to come in and run the routes that 37-year-old tight end Jason Witten ran last season. If Bryant is offering his services as a tight end, then the Ravens’ interest should end there. Tight end is an area they are fairly set at with Hayden Hurst and Mark Andrews still on rookie contracts and with Nick Boyle signing a three-year extension last year.

There are quite a few other free agent options set to be available this offseason if the Ravens feel the need to add a veteran to the lineup. Of course, the 2020 draft class is considered to have one of the deepest wide receiver groups in recent memory. We should not forget Miles Boykin, who fits a similar role Bryant would be looking for. Boykin will be heading into his second season in 2020 and showed flashes in 2019 in limited opportunities.

There are a host of opportunities for the Ravens to get younger and better at wide receiver. Bryant definitely would not help them get younger, and I’m not sure he’d help them get better, even if they’re a dream destination for him at this stage in his career.

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6 biggest questions facing the Ravens this offseason

The Baltimore Ravens head into the offseason with a lot of cap space and draft picks, but they still have some questions to answer.

After their 14-2 regular season campaign that saw them pegged as Super Bowl favorites by many, the Baltimore Ravens were shown the door in the playoffs by the Tennessee Titans, losing 28-12 in the divisional round. While the Ravens proved to everyone that they have the talent to compete with any team in the NFL, being ousted from the playoffs after one game for the second year in a row has raised a lot of questions about this team.

In order to get over the hump and make a push for a Super Bowl, Baltimore is going to need to focus on a few key aspects. From players to scheme, let’s take a look at the six biggest questions the Ravens face this offseason.

Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images

Wide receiver corps

Baltimore has changed their wide receiver room each offseason for the last two years heading into this season. Two years ago they let Jeremy Maclin and Mike Wallace go. Last year, they let Michael Crabtree and John Brown walk. While Marquise Brown, Willie Snead and Miles Boykin are all returning for 2020, it’s safe to say Baltimore needs to get Lamar Jackson some more help on the outside.

Both Seth Roberts and Chris Moore are some of the Ravens’ pending free agents and I wouldn’t expect either to be back. Moore has never really made the most of his opportunities and after being supplanted as the team’s deep threat by Brown, it’s difficult to tell what his role would be if re-signed. There are more scenarios where Roberts could come back but a huge drop against the Titans will be fresh in Baltimore’s mind if they sit down at the negotiating table. After being selected in the 2018 NFL draft, Jaleel Scott has been active in just three games and has caught just one pass for six yards. He’ll likely return for training camp but he’s in real danger of being cut if he can’t impress early and often.

At his end of the season press conference, coach John Harbaugh noted that they have their eyes on two different style of wide receivers this offseason.

Though he failed to expand upon what they were or if they’d be draft prospects or free agents, there’s plenty of room for the Ravens to add talent.

If Baltimore decides to keep six wide receivers on the 53 man roster like they did in 2019, the Ravens would have three wide-open spots if Roberts, Moore and Scott don’t return. The Ravens will have to ask themselves if they want to bring in free agents like A.J. Green, Emmanuel Sanders or Robby Anderson, or look towards the early rounds of the NFL Draft with players like Henry Ruggs III, Justin Jefferson or Tee Higgins to fill the void.

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