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We’re getting closer and closer to seeing Ravens first-round pick Marquise Brown take the field, and it appears that day may actually be just around the corner. Brown is set to participate in joint practices against the Eagles on Monday and Tuesday and if all goes well, “Hollywood” could be in-line to play against Philadelphia on Thursday.
Ravens first-round pick Hollywood Brown is expected to participate in joint practices in Philly, which could lead to his debut in Thursday’s preseason game. "We’ll just have to see how [Brown's surgically repaired foot] responds and hopefully he can go there,” John Harbaugh said.
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) August 17, 2019
This is obviously both significant and encouraging news. Fans and spectators alike have been patiently waiting for Brown’s return to game action. Brown was limited to individual drills in the beginning of training camp but as expected, they’ve begun to ramp up his workload over the past couple weeks.
Last weekend, Brown participated in 7-on-7 drills for the first time and continued to practice in full following the team’s victory over the Packers on Thursday. This week represents a big step in Brown’s development, as he’ll get the opportunity to face off against an opposing defense for the first time. When the Jaguars came to town, Brown neither played in the game nor participated in contact drills in the BAL/JAX joint practices.
Matching up against the likes of Sidney Jones, Ronald Darby, and Orlando Scandrick will serve as a good barometer to measure where Brown is in his progression. The ideal scenario is that he looks good this week, suffers no setbacks or soreness, and takes the field in Philadelphia on Thursday night. However, there’s still a chance that the first two scenarios occur but Brown still doesn’t play against the Eagles as a further precautionary measure.
The Ravens have been patient and strict about Brown’s workload, treating him with concentrated delicacy. Therefore, don’t expect the team to throw him out there in Week 3 of the preseason if they feel there’s even the slightest chance of risk.
Nevertheless, gaining some in-game experience and taking meaningful snaps prior to Week 1 of the regular season would only be helpful for Brown’s outlook this year. Hopefully we’ll finally see him on the field his Thursday.
Be sure to stay tuned for further updates regarding Brown’s status.