The Philadelphia Eagles released wide receiver Hollywood Brown at his request, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported. Schultz adds that Brown is now expected to join a playoff contender. However, since Brown's complaints in Philadelphia largely stemmed from a lack of playing time, why not explore a reunion with the Arizona Cardinals?
Brown previously said in October he wanted to see the field more, adding that he wouldn't have handled the situation as well in his youth.
"I wouldn't have handled it well as a younger guy," Brown said. "...It's God's plan, and the more I got comfortable with that, I can't be mad about a situation because maybe that's not what God called for. ... Of course, you want to be somewhere where you play, but at the end of the day, it's not my plan."
Joining a contender and finding a team where Brown can play a significant role seem mutually exclusive. It remains to be seen what's the highest priority for Brown, but if it's playing time and an increased role, it's hard to think of a better situation than Arizona.
Cardinals can offer Hollywood Brown the increased role he wanted with Eagles
Of course, that's not a good thing for the Cardinals, who already find their wide receiver room falling apart at midseason.
Marvin Harrison Jr. is now with the Houston Texans, while Michael Wilson, Jalen Brooks, and Kendrick Bourne have all suffered season-ending injuries. Brown would immediately have a chance to compete as the WR1 in this room.
Right now, the Cardinals have third-round rookie Carson Beck throwing to fifth-round rookie Reggie Virgil behind a flawed, injured offensive line. At least he has tight end Trey McBride, but teams can easily double or even triple cover him when Beck's other pass-catching options include Virgil, Simi Fehoko, and Devin Duvernay.
It already looks like another lost season in The Valley, with Beck's trajectory and evaluation as the most important things to monitor for the rest of the year. It's difficult to properly evaluate Beck with the weapons and offensive line he has to work with. Brown wouldn't solve all those problems, but he would at least give Beck another much-needed pass-catching option.
There's also the familiarity from both Brown and the Cardinals organization, with the speedy receiver having played in 2022 and 2023. Brown's role has shrunk with stops in Kansas City and Philadelphia. He's more productive than his stats as of late suggest, with plenty left to give at 29.
Again, the Cardinals might be the last team Brown wants to join if joining that contender is a top priority, as Schultz reported. But Brown's comments about being disgruntled in his role in Philadelphia suggest he also values playing time. A Cardinals reunion would make sense if that ultimately is Brown's priority, as he would immediately slide in to give Beck another option.
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