New Kid on the Block: Cardinals Pass Rusher Delivers in…

New Arizona Cardinals pass rusher Baron Browning is already making an impact.

Browning wasn’t exactly the most popular trade target for the Cardinals at the deadline after being acquired for a sixth-round pick from the Denver Broncos, especially after missing four games with a foot injury and not registering a sack before landing in the desert.

Browning played just 18 snaps in Arizona’s win over the New York Jets as he looks to get settled and adjusted, and though he didn’t garner a tackle or sack on the day, his presence was felt on a fourth down where he beat the tackle and forced Aaron Rodgers out of the pocker for an eventual strip sack on fourth down.

“I thought he had some juice in there. I thought he had a couple of good rushes. We’ll continue to expand his role, but yeah, I thought he did well,” Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said this week.

“I think he played 18 snaps, which is a good chunk for him just being here and he didn’t mentally bust. The one third down, actually, he dropped. It was a really good drop. They banged it in between him and (LB) Mack (Wilson Sr.), but (he’s) just getting acclimated with our verbiage and how we do things and everything like that.”

Browning also forced Rodgers out of the pocket on third down to force a bad throw, which prevented a touchdown and forced a field goal early in the contest.

The Cardinals are now winners of their last four entering the bye week, though Browning’s work in the desert is only getting started. He’ll stay at the facility and work with coaches to get caught up to speed.

“I have to continue to develop a relationship with him. I liked him when he came out and I knew he was smart and serious, so that was a big price of admission when we acquired him,” Gannon continued.

“Obviously, you call some people that have been around him and ask if that checked out, and then it did. He’s quiet right now, but he is probably taking it all in. He’s like, ‘Where’s the field house?’ Things like that. I can tell he’s confident in his game and his ability, and he’s going to bring some juice to us.”

Arizona’s pass rush got off to a slow start, and injuries to five different players along the front seven didn’t help.

Still, the Cardinals had patience.

“It takes time. A lot of guys are playing multiple spots (with) different guys in and out of the lineup and the continuity of the guys that are playing right now. I get it. I know, Rome is a great city. It wasn’t built in a day, but I understand there is a tangible clock on all of us,” Gannon said.

“On every player, on every coach and every team. I think if you trust your process and continue to make your process a little bit better and you’ve got the right people in place, good things should happen. I was confident in the coaches. I was confident in the players, and I think that they’ve done a good job to all kind of step up their game.

“They’re playing better individually and collectively right now. It takes all those guys.”

Browning’s impressed in the small action we’ve seen of him thus far, even if the stat sheet doesn’t reflect so, and over time should only bolster a Cardinals pass rush looking to get hot down the stretch of the season.