RG3 blames Ravens' offensive system as why Brown wanted trade

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marquise Brown Antranik Tavitian/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Robert Griffin III blames Ravens' offensive system as why Marquise Brown wanted trade

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Larry Brown | Last updated 5/5/22

Marquise Brown was traded by the Baltimore Ravens to the Arizona Cardinals during the NFL Draft, and one of his former teammates thinks he knows the reason why.

Robert Griffin III played for Baltimore from 2018-2020. Brown was drafted by the Ravens in 2019, so he and RG3 were teammates for two seasons.

On Thursday, Griffin tweeted his theory about why Brown wanted to play elsewhere. The former quarterback blamed offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s system and believes Brown felt he would never be a star playing in Baltimore. Contrarily, RG3 says that in Arizona, Brown will be able to play in a pass-happy offense where he could theoretically put up big numbers.

Throwing the ball more is not the proven recipe for success for the Ravens. In the last 3 years, the @Ravens have only thrown the ball more than running it once. That was last year and it was the only year the Ravens had a losing record. Lamar being out didn’t help either. 2/4

— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) May 5, 2022

Marquise Brown had 146 targets last year but they weren’t all catchable targets. With Lamar being out down the stretch, Hollywood’s longest reception was 15 yards in the last 5 games. Arizona gives him an opportunity to be a star in a system he knows from college. 4/4

— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) May 5, 2022

It’s possible that Brown didn’t feel he would be able to put up blockbuster numbers with the Ravens. His biggest season came last year when he had 91 catches for 1,008 yards and 6 touchdowns. Plus, tight end Mark Andrews blossomed into a favorite target for Ravens quarterbacks. So maybe Brown was always going to remain a secondary option behind Andrews.

Maybe Roman’s system with Lamar Jackson at quarterback doesn’t help receivers put up big numbers, but fans and analysts should be wary about being critical of Roman. Under Roman, Jackson became an offensive monster and won NFL MVP. The team also won two straight AFC North division titles and made three straight playoff appearances from 2018-2020.

Once DeAndre Hopkins returns to the Cardinals, will Brown not become a second option like he was in Baltimore? Maybe the turf isn’t always greener on the other side.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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