For three seasons, Marquise Brown remained Lamar Jackson‘s go-to receiver. However, it all fell apart in 2022, when Brown requested a trade from the team, stating that John Harbaugh‘s offensive system “just wasn’t for me.” Since then, Baltimore has been struggling at the receiver position. But not anymore. It looks like Coach John Harbaugh’s worries are finally about to come to an end with a sixth-round pick. Enter LaJohntay Wester.

This year, in the sixth round, GM Eric DeCosta and the Ravens brass picked Colorado receiver LaJohntay Wester as their 203rd overall. While they might not have seen him as a potential starting receiver, the rookie is turning heads in the team’s OTAs. As per reports, coach Harbaugh is giving Wester good practice time as a punt returner and a receiver.

Recently, on the Locked On Ravens podcast, host Kevin Oestreicher and former Ravens WR Qadry Ismail were all praises for the young wideout. “He is just, his skill set is what I’ve been dreaming of for the Ravens to get since they lost Marquise Brown.” Ismail pointed out that even though the team has Zay Flowers, he is not quite suited for playing deep-threat roles. 

“Wester has that skill set. I think he’s going to be a monster for the Ravens this season. I think that he’s going to be one of those rookies,” added Qadry. Coming from Colorado, Wester was the second-best receiver on the Buffaloes team after this year’s second overall pick, Travis Hunter. The 23-year-old racked up 931 yards and 10 touchdowns. Wester was picked up quite late despite having good numbers.

And even now, he must be outstanding on special teams to get a regular chance on the Ravens‘ offense. So far, as Qadry Ismail has pointed out, LaJohntay Wester has looked good. “I think one of the three that I saw was a contested catch. And he had good hand-eye coordination with it,” Ismail said on the podcast. So, with Wester showing promise in the team’s OTAs, there is new hope. And the possibility that Baltimore’s receiver troubles might finally be ending. 

Marquise Brown’s post-Ravens era

If there was anybody on the Ravens squad who was going to be affected deeply by Marquise Brown’s exit, it was QB Lamar Jackson. Though Wester is good, Brown was not only Lamar’s No. 1 receiver but also his best friend on the team. Initially, when John Harbaugh called the QB to inform him of the news, he did not believe it.

Talking about his trade, the Ravens QB shared, “It was after a workout, and I was like, ‘OK,’ [and] I’m just listening to him. But he was like, ‘We’re thinking about trading him’ and stuff like that, but I didn’t buy into it. I was kind of hurt, because that’s my boy. But it’s all good. Like I said, it’s part of the business.” Marquise started his NFL journey donning the Ravens jersey in 2019. After three seasons in Baltimore, the WR changed homes to the Arizona Cardinals.

With the Cardinals, Brown could not quite find his stride. Although the WR reunited with his college QB Kyler Murray, his debut season was cut short after he hurt his foot in Week 6. When asked about whether the wideout regretted getting traded from the Ravens, Marquise shared, “I feel like my time in Arizona, I mean, I didn’t accomplish what I wanted to on the field. But as a man, I grew. I grew closer to God, I grew closer in my relationship with my family.” The Oklahoma alum’s journey with the Cardinals ended after two seasons. Brown then signed a one-year deal with the Chiefs, hoping for a fresh start.

Marquise’s season with Kansas City came to a halt even before it kicked off. The 28-year-old suffered a sternoclavicular injury during the preseason last year. Brown debuted in the Chiefs gear in December and played a couple of games last season. The WR also played in the Super Bowl game. In March, the Chiefs re-signed him on a one-year contract. So, Brown will once again be gearing up in the Chiefs jersey this season. Would he be able to bring his career back on track again? Guess we will have to wait.

And for the Ravens’ rookie, LaJohntay Wester, he might kick off his season on special teams. But if he performs well, Wester might finally step into Brown’s shoes for Harbaugh’s offense.