Bears are being urged to bring in a ‘more complete receiver’ than Darnell Mooney

admin | December 6, 2023 | Other Clubs | No Comments

With Darnell Mooney set to leave the Arizona Cardinals in free agency next season, current Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marquise Brown is emerging as a name to watch for the Chicago Bears.

Brown has been mentioned as a potential upgrade over Mooney by multiple commentators, including Matt Holder of Bleacher Report.

“Brown could replace the speed Mooney brings to the team’s offense, and the former would also be an upgrade as he’s a more complete receiver with a better track record of success,” Holder said in a December 4 post. “‘Hollywood’ is only two years removed from a 1,000-yard campaign and has put up good numbers this season despite the Cardinals’ instability at quarterback.”

Holder isn’t the only one. Windy City Gridiron’s Bill Zimmerman also selected Brown as one of six free agents Chicago should seek in 2024.

“The idea of pairing Brown with DJ Moore and still being in position to get an elite WR in the top 10 of the 2024 NFL Draft and have Tyler Scott at WR4 would give the Bears a strong receiving group that could really give defenses trouble,” Zimmerman said in a statement. “Brown will not be cheap, but he will not be exorbitant either. The Bears might sign someone of this level to replace Darnell Mooney, who will opt to test free agency rather than stay with the team.”

Marquise Brown: Background & Stats

Brown, 26, was a first-round draft pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 2019. He spent the first three years of his career with the Ravens before moving on to Arizona. During the 2022 draft, the Ravens sold Brown and a third-round pick to the Cardinals for a first-round pick, and he has spent the previous two seasons with the Cardinals.

Brown has 51 catches for 574 yards and four touchdowns in 13 starts for Arizona this season. His greatest year was 2021, when he caught 91 catches for 1,008 yards and six touchdowns.

Zimmerman’s projected contract for Brown next summer is a three-year, $36 million deal with a $20 million guarantee. Mooney’s estimated market value is little more than $10 million a year, according to Spotrac.

Brown will almost certainly fetch a larger salary, but would he be an upgrade at WR2 over Mooney?

Would Marquise Brown Be Better for Bears Than Darnell Mooney?

Brown’s physique is similar to Mooney’s (5-10, 180-pound), and both have speed, though Brown is somewhat faster (Brown ran a 4.27 40-yard dash at his Pro Day). Mooney’s time was 4.38 seconds.

Brown has also become more prolific throughout his career. He’s played one season longer than Mooney, but he’s scored at a significantly higher pace. Brown has 28 touchdown receptions in his career, while Mooney has 11. Brown has a lifetime average of 51.3 yards per game, while Mooney has a career average of 44.4.

Mooney is having a bad year as well. Mooney has 25 receptions for 351 yards and a touchdown in 12 games this season. Mooney’s output has dropped significantly after averaging 1,686 yards and eight touchdowns in his first two seasons. He’s accumulated 844 yards and three touchdowns in his last 24 outings.

The 2020 fifth-round pick out of Tulane, like Brown, had his best season in 2021, catching 81 passes for 1,055 yards and four touchdowns.

While Brown has higher stats than Mooney, one might argue that the Bears WR is underappreciated. When he is routinely targeted, he has demonstrated his ability to produce.

Mooney has also only been targeted 42 times this season. Brown has been targeted more than twice as many times (101 times). Brown would be an excellent addition to Chicago’s wide receiver corps. Is he a better fit for the team than Mooney? Most likely, although that is not a guarantee.

It’ll be interesting to see how Chicago handles the wide receiver position, as well as how Mooney handles free agency. Brown, in any case, will be a player to keep an eye on.