TEMPE — The writing was on the wall for newly acquired Arizona Cardinals pass rusher Baron Browning before he was dealt ahead of the NFL trade deadline.
With a talented Denver Broncos pass rushers room led by Nik Bonitto and Jonathan Cooper and coming off 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 following his first practice as a Cardinal, “it is what it is.”
Now in Arizona, he’s focused on the chance ahead of him.
New Cardinals pass rusher Baron Browning felt like he knew a trade was coming.
“I was just ready for it to be done just to kinda get this 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
RELATED STORIES
“For me, I didn’t want to be a distraction to my teammates, be a distraction to my unit back in Denver. I was just ready for it to be done just to kinda get this 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 don’t want you, so I would say it’s the same. It’s always good to be wanted and be where you’re wanted. I’m happy they wanted me and I’m happy to be here.”
Browning now enters the first real reset phase of his career after spending the entirety of it to this point with the Broncos.
It goes beyond football, too, with Browning having to adapt on the fly to his new surroundings while getting to know his teammates, coaches and staff members. Not to mention the instant uprooting of his life in Denver, where most of his belongings still remain.
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.
Recently acquired Cardinals pass rusher Baron Browning believes he can “fit in anywhere” but is learning how to crawl before he can walk when it comes to learning Arizona’s defense: pic.twitter.com/STX2FrtRKe
— Cardinals Corner (@AZCardsCorner) November 6, 2024
“I’m just taking it day by day. I wouldn’t want to put a timetable on it,” Browning said. “Obviously, I’d like to play this week but trusting in the coaches and taking it day by day and following the plan they have for me.”
Not the start to 2024 new Cardinals OLB Baron Browning was hoping for
Browning’s foot injury did no favors in the pass rusher putting together a strong start to the year.
Going down 12 plays into Denver’s Week 2 loss to Pittsburgh, Browning has appeared in five games (two starts) in 2024. His production has taken a serious hit behind seven tackles and one tackle for loss. All but two tackles of his season total came before he went down.
“Had a great training camp and having that foot injury was a minor 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 just trusting the process and continuing to approach work every day with the same mindset to get better.”
Great timing
Luckily for Browning, he won’t have to be completely drinking from a firehose when it comes to ingesting Arizona’s defense.
It might be a crash course now, but come the bye in Week 11, things are bound to slow down for the linebacker in his new surroundings.
“The bye definitely allows time to settle in a little more and have a little more time and not just trying to crunch all this information in,” Browning said.
“I’m just trusting in the plan the coaches have for me and following them.”