Happy to be wanted by Cardinals, Baron Browning says, ‘I was just ready for it to be done’

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Baron Browning knew what was coming.

After a four-game stint on injured reserve earlier this season, he returned to the lineup to find his starting spot gone. In his absence, a younger player — Nik Bonitto, selected one year later — emerged as a force, starting what would become a 6-game sack streak that only ended last Sunday in some controversy over whether a stop of Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson in the backfield was a sack or merely a tackle for loss.

But there was more to it than that. The Broncos drafted rookie Jonah Elliss in the third round in April; in 127 pass-rush snaps this year, he’s averaged one sack every 63.5 pass-rush opportunities — which is nearly the exact same as Browning’s career of one sack every 64.1 pass-rush snaps in three seasons as an edge rusher, per the data from Pro Football Focus.

They also have Drew Sanders returning from a stint on the physically-unable-to-perform list after a six-and-a-half-month absence due to a torn Achilles tendon. And in brief work, UFL product Dondrea Tillman showed flashes, with 2 sacks and 6 total pressures in 41 pass-rush snaps.

And then on Monday came word that Jonathon Cooper signed a four-year contract extension with $33 million guaranteed.

Cooper, Bonitto, Elliss, Sanders and Tillman are under contract for 2024. Browning was not. And once Cooper got his deal, it was clear: no long-term contract extension was coming for Browning in orange and blue. Denver had made its choice.

And now, after a Monday trade, Browning is an Arizona Cardinal. He settled in Wednesday for his first practice in the desert, while the Broncos went on without him.

“I was just ready for it to be done just to kinda get this fresh start and show what I can do,” Browning told Phoenix-area media Wednesday. “I know I’m a starter in this league and I know I can play at a high level, so, I’m just really excited about my opportunity to do that here.”

From the Broncos’ end, there were no hard feelings. Further, coach Sean Payton indicated that part of the rationale behind the trade was to get Browning more snaps in his crucial contract year — snaps that likely wouldn’t have been coming in Denver barring injuries to others.

“In fairness to Baron, we had a long talk [about] a contract year, the amount of snaps he can get, more snaps. It’s the puzzle of trying to look outwards, too,” Payton said. “And certainly he’s been a part of what we’ve been doing.

“I’s never easy to trade someone. And yet I thought just in our visit [with] George [Paton] and I and Baron sitting down, he totally understood and he was looking forward to getting more snaps — certainly in a year for him that’s important.”

 

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It made sense. Even though it hurt.

“It was really devastating, obviously, not only to our group, but to the whole team,” Bonitto said. “Everybody loved him. Obviously, in our group, we’re all close with him.”

None closer than Cooper, who was Browning’s teammate at Ohio State before both were part of the 2021 draft class.

“Baron’s, been my guy, my teammate for eight years,” Cooper said. “And I was really hurt and really sad to see him go, but I know it’s a good opportunity for him, and I know he’ll take full advantage of it.”

 

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MEANWHILE, BARON BROWNING THINKS HE’S ABOUT TO TAKE OFF

While Bonitto racked up sacks as Baron Browning recuperated from a foot injury, the fourth-year veteran failed to get untracked. Browning remains in search of his first quarterback hit this season — let alone a sack — after 79 pass-rush opportunities.

That follows a season in which he had 4.5 sacks in 10 games played, including a pair of sacks of Patrick Mahomes last October when the Broncos snapped their 16-game losing streak to the Kansas City Chiefs.

“If you watch the tape, I feel like I’m rushing the passer at a high level even though I haven’t had the production I want this season,” he added. “I know it’s coming and just trusting the process and continuing to approach work every day with the same mindset to get better.”

Browning and the Cardinals face the New York Jets this week, but then have a bye. For the final seven games of the regular season, Arizona will get an up-close look at Browning — and he’ll have a chance to deliver on the promise that was so tantalizing at times in Denver, but never resulted in consistent production.

“It’s always good to feel wanted,” Browning told Phoenix-area media. “You don’t want to talk to the girl who doesn’t want you. I would say it’s the same thing. I’m just happy they wanted me and I’m happy to be here.”