The Baltimore Ravens shocked the NFL world during the first night of the 2022 NFL draft, trading wide receiver Marquise Brown and a third round selection to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for the No. 23 overall pick. Baltimore then traded No. 23 in exchange for No. 25 and a fourth-round selection, and subsequently took center Tyler Linderbaum out of Iowa with their second first-round pick.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson spoke to the media after Baltimore’s final mandatory minicamp practice, and one of the questions he was asked pertained to the trade of Brown. He said that head coach John Harbaugh called him to let him know that the team was thinking about trading Brown, and revealed that he didn’t buy into it. However once the trade went down, Jackson said he went “What the…” but also made sure to make clear that it was all good and part of the business.
“Actually, Coach [Harbaugh] called me. It was after a workout, and I was like, ‘OK,’ [and] I’m just listening to him. But he was like, ‘We’re thinking about trading him’ and stuff like that, but I didn’t buy into it. It was just conversation, and when it actually happened, I was like, ‘What the …’ But it’s all good. It’s part of the business.”
Jackson was also asked if his draft-night tweet was about the Brown trade, to which the quarterback said yes.
“Yes. I was kind of hurt, because that’s my boy. But it’s all good. Like I said, it’s part of the business.”
The fifth-year signal caller also said that he was shocked that Brown was already in Arizona when the deal was announced.
“Yes, I was shocked. I’m like, ‘Damn.’ (laughter)But like I said, it’s part of the business.”
Jackson and Brown had an established connection on the field as members of the Ravens, but are also very good friends off of it. With the former Oklahoma star’s departure, Baltimore will now be relying on wide receivers such as Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay, James Proche II and Tylan Wallace to step up and be reliable targets. The team also has a plethora of talented tight ends headed up by Mark Andrews, as well as running backs that can catch the ball out of the backfield.
