By Justin DiLoro / Billswire.usatoday.com
You may have heard that Pittsburgh Steelers star wide receiver Antonio Brown could be on the move. The nine-year pro sat out the final week of the season, leading to speculation that his time in Pittsburgh is over. Since the conclusion of the regular season, many pundits have made predictions on the next move for Brown and the Steelers.
It makes sense that teams would be clamoring for the service of Brown. He is a seven-time Pro-Bowler and four-time All-Pro. The 2010 sixth-round pick has been one of the premier players during his tenure in Pittsburgh, leading the NFL in receptions twice, in receiving yards two time, and leading the circuit in touchdown receptions once. He in the midst of six-consecutive 100-plus reception seasons streak, in addition to six-consecutive 1,000-plus yard receiving seasons streak.
It is rare that a player of this caliber is reportedly available on the market, especially in the middle of a reasonable contract.
The Buffalo Bills, a team in desperate need of a playmaker on offense, could use a player such as Brown. Michael Ginnetti of Spotrac highlights the Bills would make sense as a destination from Brown. Nick Wojton of The Bills Wire shared several reasons why Buffalo should make a play for the uber-talented player.
Making a move for Brown would create a seismic shift in Buffalo’s fortunes moving forward. On paper, it seems that he checks all the boxes for the team needs on the Bills.
Here’s the problem: this is not Madden. The possibility of acquiring a player such as this is enticing. However, there’s a great deal that needs to be considered before Buffalo considers this earth-shattering move.
OK, that’s a little bit of hyperbole. Nevertheless, the issues surrounding Brown bring up some concerns for attempting to bring him to western New York.
Here are 6 reasons why the Bills should pass on Antonio Brown:
Age
Brown will turn 31 years old this summer. By no means does he look like he’s slowing down at all, but the odds are that Brown will be reaching the end of his prime sooner rather than later. With three years left on his contract, the veteran would be a part of his next team through 2021, wrapping up that final season at the age of 33. At some point, he is going to start slowing down. It’s a risk for a team to take if there is concern that some regression could occur during this time.
Not exactly a team player
Unselfishness seems to be a noun that fits nicely with culture. There have been several instances where Brown has placed himself well ahead of his team. Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports highlights that this is the third time that Brown has been absent from the team since training camp. His most recent abandonment of the team occurred during a pivotal Week 17 matchup with the Steelers still on the fringe of a playoff berth. That doesn’t sound like someone who is thinking in the best interest of the team and developing culture. Brown has also held out for contractual reasons and gotten into verbal scuffs with teammates during his time in Pittsburgh.
Josh Allen
It’s not a bad thing that Allen would be throwing to Brown. However, Allen is still a work in progress. With the Wyoming product still honing his craft, would a 31-year-old receiver be willing to be patient enough to help his young signal caller along? The aforementioned reason to stay away from Brown becomes amplified in this part. Brown saw no fewer than six targets per game this past season with the Steelers. In Week 16, he was targeted 19 times by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. This is a volume that a Buffalo receiver has not seen in years. Would Brown be frustrated if he had to share some of the load with an up-and-comer such as Robert Foster? What about Zay Jones? Two more examples of younger options that might not mesh well with Brown since the Bills could be a year or two away.
Too much attention
Building on the previous point, Brown saw his share of double teams versus opponents secondaries. One of his former teammates with the Steelers, linebacker James Harrison, has been in Brown’s corner over the past few weeks. While appears on Fox Sports’ Undisputed, Harrison said that teammate Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster receiving a team award rubbed Brown the wrong way:
Undisputed
“I think it may have rubbed [AB] a little wrong, a little raw because … he is the one drawing doubles; he is the one making situations easier for JuJu to be able to get the balls and the yards that he got.”@jharrison9292 on JuJu being named the Steelers 2018 MVP
If what Harrison says is remotely true, it would be detrimental for Brown to be a part of a young receiving corps. One would think that Brown’s presence would aid a receiving group by drawing attention away from the other players. But if Brown is frustrated by the attention garnered by defenders, then more drama is bound to follow.
Trade assets
Buffalo has the draft capital to make a serious inquiry on Brown. The team has enough cap space to comfortably fit under the salary cap. The major issue? The Pittsburgh Steelers could ask for quite a bit in exchange for Brown, perhaps even as high as a first-round pick or more.
Ian Rapaport
From @NFLGameDay: The #Steelers are going to get trade offers for Antonio Brown, and rival GMs predict they’ll be able to at least get a 2nd rounder. The #Broncos are expected to be one of many teams interested.
Dallas gave up a first-round pick for Oakland wide receiver Amari Cooper during this season. While Cooper is only 24 years old, he has not accomplished a season as productive as Brown. The trade market for Brown will be interesting, as there are competing forces working here. The Steelers are interested in moving him. That would seem to reduce the price for Brown. However, there are many teams who are reportedly interested in Brown, which could increase the price for the talented wide receiver.
Would Buffalo be willing to give up at least a second-round pick for Brown? The Bills have shown they value their picks, and they may wish to keep their resources for a player who will perform on an entry-level contract.
Destination known?
Brown will most likely not have any say in his destination if the Steelers do trade him. Despite that, he has indicated that he would like to play for the San Francisco 49ers, via ESPN. If Brown has specific places where he would like to play next year and Buffalo is not high on that list, why should they overpay to (a) bring him to Buffalo and (b) have to convince him that One Bills Drive is a great place to go into the twilight of one’s career?
While Brown is undoubtedly a talented player bordering on Hall of Fame numbers, the stars do not seem to align for Buffalo to bring the wideout to western New York.