Has Marlon Brown Overtaken Jacoby Jones?

Jul 24, 2014; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Marlon Brown (14) runs with the ball after making a catch during practice at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Jacoby Jones‘ struggles this season have been well documented, yet Baltimore Ravens fans had seen little of Marlon Brown until Sunday’s win over the Carolina Panthers. In the Week 4 38-10 win, Brown received 31 snaps to Jones’ 6. Was this a temporary measure or a sign of things to come?

The team’s official depth chart is not much help, as both Jones and Brown are simply listed as second team. Kamar Aiken, who also received more snaps than Jones, is listed as third team.

Purely based on merit, Jones no longer deserves the bulk of the third receiver reps. He has dropped four passes this year and only caught three. Marlon Brown, meanwhile, has caught all four of his targets.

Both will continue to see reps simply by merit of their divergent skill sets.

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When at his best, Jones is a top-tier deep threat with elite acceleration and good ball skills. Jones had a knack for coming down with Flacco’s bombs, even when they were off target. Further, the sheer threat of Jones’ speed stretches out defenses, which cannot be said for Brown.

Brown does his best work as an underneath receiver. He seems to be a natural fit in Gary Kubiak‘s offense, as Brown has shown a natural ability to find soft spots in zone coverage. Brown has yet to become a big play threat. Despite his natural size and speed, Brown has not shown the ability to win jump ball battles nor the ability to accurately track the ball deep. At just 23 years old, though, there is plenty of time for Brown to develop those skills as he continues to exploit his soft hands and natural route running ability.

Expect to see more Brown in the weeks ahead, as he does have a natural chemistry with Flacco that Jones has never seemed to develop. Further, Brown has a good bit of upside as a 23 year old with good physical tools, so getting him on to the field should be a priority. Same goes for Kamar Aiken.

That said, Jones will still have a role in this offense, especially once he gets his mojo back. Jones is one big return from that happening. When it does, expect to see him back on the field making big plays on offense.

Jones’ struggles this season have been a negative, but the Ravens have to feel good about having two young receivers in the stables, ready to contribute. With Michael Campanaro still on the team as well, the Ravens have several bright young players who will continue to challenge Jones for reps.

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