Broncos 2017 roster: Wide receiver Marlon Brown

Marlon Brown is a guy the Denver Broncos brought in last season having worked under Gary Kubiak’s system with the Baltimore Ravens. His best season came in his rookie season when he started 12 games, snagging 49 receptions for 524 yards and seven touchdowns.

He has been a reserve player since then and was unable to crack the lineup for any game action for the Broncos in 2016.

The Good

Brown has tremendous size and is built well for the wide receiver position, but does not have top-flight speed. As undrafted free agent, he showed the poise and work ethic to come back from an ACL injury in college to not only make the roster with the Ravens, but start 12 games that year.

He was even part of the Ravens failed comeback attempt in Week 1 of the 2013 season against the Broncos, grabbing 4 catches for 65 yards and a touchdown. Of course, Peyton Manning would re-up his one touchdown with six others en route to a 49-27 dismantling of the then defending Super Bowl champions.

The Bad

Injuries have plagued and derailed Brown’s career since that promising rookie season. Add that to a Broncos roster now loaded with younger wide receiver talent and he could be looking to catch on with another team in a few months.

When healthy, he has a chance to make an impact on the depth chart. He just hasn’t been able to keep that from happening.

Quotable

If Brown doesn’t make the final roster cut, look for Kubiak’s former staff around the NFL to take a look at the wide receiver. It seems like Kubiak has been a fan of Brown from Day 1.

“That’s why I like Kubes so much,” Brown said of his connection to Kubiak. “From Day One, even on my first day at Houston, for the little 24 hours I was there, he always kept it 100 with me. He always told me the truth. He never promised me anything. He always told me, do this and this and this, and everything will work itself out. I appreciate that. There aren’t a lot of guys in this business who are like that. Or in the world, for that matter.”

Status

I won’t mince words here; Brown has a very large mountain to climb in order to make this roster. Could he do it? Sure. Is it likely? I’d say no and I would be about 98% sure with the other 2% being catastrophic injuries at the position during the offseason.

He seems like a quality talent and should catch on somewhere in the league, but the Broncos just have too much invested in younger talent at the position now.