In three-and-a-half seasons with the Broncos, Browning had 9.5 sacks, 114 tackles, and 22 quarterback hits. Against the Jets, while he didn’t record a tackle, he generated pressure that forced Aaron Rodgers to scramble out of the pocket and led to Xavier Thomas’ strip-sack.
“We’ve worked hard, but the guy has shown me a lot in his dedication to it,” Rodriguez said before the game. “I know I’m dedicated to it, but when those guys can match it or exceed it, you get excited about what can be.”
What can be is a path to potentially make the playoffs. What is known, however, is Browning’s versatility. The fourth-year linebacker started his NFL journey as an inside linebacker before switching over to edge.
“He has an arsenal, so I don’t have to teach him a lot of moves,” Rodriguez said. “(It’s) refining stuff that matches our scheme (and) getting him in the right angles just to make sure that it all spaces out right.”
Acknowledging the amount of work put in, coach Jonathan Gannon said he thought Browning responded well to Rodriguez’s guidance. Despite only meeting once before, defensive coordinator Nick Rallis said Browning is “what I thought he was going to be,” while complimenting his work ethic.
Since Browning was acquired by the Cardinals, he has sensed the culture. He discovered early on that he fits in nicely within the “very passionate” outside linebacker room and also noticed the pacing of practices emphasize taking care of the body.
The month of November has been full of changes for Browning. From learning a new playbook to a new location, and a locker room with unfamiliar faces, it has been challenging. Being in a huddle wearing a new jersey with teammates he met just a few days earlier “is different because when you’re comfortable and you know everybody, you might crack a joke or something before the play,” he said.
But in the midst of these life-altering moves, change can be a good thing.
“I’m trying to get in where I fit in and do my job at a high level,” Browning said. “That’s what they brought me here to do.”
