TEMPE – The writing was on the wall for newly acquired Arizona Cardinals pass rusher Baron Browning before he was treated before the NFL trade deadline.
With a talented Denver Broncos pass rushers room led by Nik Bonitto and Jonathan Cooper and a foot injury, the veteran was the odd man out.
But as Browning — who feels he can both play the run and rush the passer — put it Wednesday after his first practice as a Cardinal: “It is what it is.”
Now in Arizona, he’s focused on the opportunity in front of him.
New Cardinals pass rusher Baron Browning felt like he knew a trade was coming.
“I was just ready to do this, just to get a fresh start and show what I can do. I know I’m a starter in this league and I know I can play at a high level.” pic.twitter.com/Fi2kw0mcjE
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) November 6, 2024
“For me, I didn’t want to be a distraction to my teammates, I wanted to be a distraction to my unit in Denver. I was just ready to make it happen, just to get a fresh start and show what I can do,” Browning said. “I know I’m a starter in this league and I know I can play at a high level, so I’m just excited about this opportunity to do that here.
“It always feels good to be wanted,” the pass rusher added. “You wouldn’t want to talk to a girl who doesn’t want you, so I’d say it’s the same. It’s always good to be wanted and to be where you are wanted. I’m glad they wanted me and I’m glad I’m here.”
Browning is now entering the first real reset phase of his career, having spent it entirely with the Broncos so far.
It also goes beyond football, with Browning having to quickly adapt to his new surroundings while getting to know his teammates, coaches and staff. Not to mention the immediate uprooting of his life in Denver, where most of his belongings still lie.
So even though Browning believes he can “fit anywhere,” the pass rusher is just trying to crawl before he can walk when it comes to nailing down defensive coordinator Nick Rallis’ system.
Newly acquired Cardinals pass rusher Baron Browning believes he can “fit anywhere,” but is learning to crawl before he can walk when it comes to getting to know Arizona’s defense: pic.twitter.com/STX2FrtRKe
— Cardinals Corner (@AZCardsCorner) November 6, 2024
“I just take it day by day. I wouldn’t put a timetable on it,” Browning said. “Obviously I want to play this week, but I trust the coaches, take it day by day and follow the plan they have for me.”
Not the start to 2024 that new Cardinals OLB Baron Browning was hoping for
Browning’s foot injury did the pass rusher no favors and made for a strong start to the year.
Browning has lost 12 plays in Denver’s Week 2 loss to Pittsburgh and has appeared in five games (two starts) in 2024. His production has taken a serious hit after recording seven tackles and one tackle for loss. All but two of his tackles for the season came before he went down.
“I had a great training camp and that foot injury was a bit of a setback, but everything happens for a reason,” Browning said. “I think everything happens in God’s timing.
“If you watch the tape, I feel like I’m rushing the passer at a high level, even though I haven’t had the production I want this season,” he added. “I know it’s coming and I’m just going to trust the process and continue to approach the work with the same mentality every day to get better.”
Great timing
Fortunately for Browning, he doesn’t have to completely drink from a firehose when it comes to taking on Arizona’s defense.
It may be a crash course now, but come Week 11, things will undoubtedly slow down for the linebacker in his new surroundings.
“The farewell certainly gives time to calm down a little bit more and have a little more time and not just try to take all this information in,” Browning said.
“I just trust the plan the coaches have for me and follow them.”
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