Marquise Brown NFL free agency speculation swirls around Arizona Cardinals, other teams

The Arizona Cardinals have a lot of questions heading into NFL free agency, but wide receiver Marquise Brown’s future with the team is at the forefront.

Could Arizona re-sign Brown? Could the team move on from him?

NFL free agency speculation about Brown includes the Cardinals as well as many other NFL teams as we await the start of free agency in mid-March.

The Arizona Republic’s Bob McManaman recently summed up Brown’s situation with the Cardinals:

“So, what about Hollywood Brown?,” McManaman wrote in his series previewing Cardinals free agency. “Well, head coach Jonathon Gannon has said the Cardinals ‘want him back,’ adding, ‘I know there’s an economic side to the NFL, too, and he knows that as well, but I know that he can be a premier player for us. I’m excited about what the future holds for him.’ If Brown were to agree to a one-year, prove-it deal, a return to the Cardinals seems doable. He does have special talents; he just couldn’t stay on the field. Arizona could also end up simply moving from him and dipping into free agency for a replacement.”

Check out some recent speculation about Marquise Brown and NFL free agency:

Arizona Cardinals free-agency: Who should be signed at receiver and tight end?

Spotrac: Hollywood Brown could earn $59.5 million in free agency

The site lists his market value for a 4-year deal at $59.5 million, with an average annual salary of $14.8 million. It has his market value contract ranked No. 23 among NFL wide receivers.

Pro Football Focus: Marquise Brown No. 17 ranked NFL free agent

The site projects that he will sign a one-year, $12 million deal in free agency, writing: “The Ravens traded Brown and a third-round pick to the Cardinals for a 2022 first-round pick, and his time in Arizona was a journey, to say the least. Between his own injuries and Kyler Murray’s torn ACL, the former college teammates weren’t able to team up as much as the old regime probably hoped, but he has flashed when in the lineup. It’s hard to come up with a solid comparable player for a 5-foot-9, 180-pound outside wide receiver (although now the NFL is adding more of this archetype each year) and it’s also fair to wonder how badly Arizona wants to extend anyone, given the team’s timeline and the emergence of rookie wideout Michael Wilson.”

NFL mock draft: Arizona Cardinals trade down after missing out on Marvin Harrison Jr.

ESPN: Marquise Brown could reunite with former WR coach on New York Jets

Rich Cimini said on the Flight Deck Podcast: “Interesting note: (New Jets WR coach Shawn Jefferson) coached Hollywood Brown in Arizona a couple of years ago. Brown will be a free agent (this offseason). Something to write down perhaps as we get closer to free agency.”

Fansided: Hollywood Brown could be Bears’ best NFL free agency option

Parker Hurley writes: “Brown would be best as a second wide receiver, and joining an offense with D.J. Moore in place would allow the team to utilize him best. More than that, he has to be interested in the thought of Caleb Williams coming to Chicago. More than Brown being interested, the Bears need to be interested in getting Williams, an explosive playmaker who can make teams pay for shifting the safety coverage toward Moore. They have enough cap space and should be able to afford the player whose market is trending down, not up. The fit makes sense for both sides. Will the Chicago Bears sign Marquise Brown in free agency?”

NFL power rankings 2024: Arizona Cardinals ‘playoff sleeper’ with Kyler Murray next season

Fansided: Titans, Panthers, Chiefs could target Marquise Brown in free agency

Brandon Ray writes: “The Chiefs could easily give Brown a call to see if he would be willing to take a ‘prove-it’ one-year deal and then test out the free agency market in 2025. Not to mention, the Chiefs desperately need wide receivers and their offense has shown that anyone they bring in can adjust to the scheme and play to the best of their ability.”

Mile High Sports: Hollywood Brown would fit with Denver Broncos

Rich Kurtzman writes: “He’s also the smaller, quicker type receiver who would complement Sutton’s big body and 50-50 ball abilities. Brown enjoyed his best season with the Ravens in 2021, with 1,008 yards and six receiving touchdowns. Since then, he’s been so-so with Arizona. He caught 51 passes for 574 yards and 4 touchdowns last year with the Cardinals and their three different starting quarterbacks.”

‘Scapegoated’: Steve Wilks’ firing by San Francisco 49ers slammed by NFL social media

The 33rd Team: Cardinals need to re-sign Marquise Brown in free agency

Marcus Mosher writes: “The Arizona Cardinals traded their 2022 first-round choice for Marquise Brown and need to keep him this offseason. The Cardinals will likely draft a wide receiver at No. 4, but keeping Brown ensures Kyler Murray will have plenty of suitable weapons around him in 2024.”

NFL’s highest paid players in 2023: Quarterbacks | Running backs | Wide receivers | Tight ends | Cornerbacks | Safeties | Linebackers | O-linemen | D-linemen | Edge rushers | Highest paid players: Overall | By position | By team

Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.