Pro Bowl wide receiver Antonio Brown has appeared to move on mentally from the Pittsburgh Steelers, releasing a tweet on his Twitter account Tuesday morning stating it was “time to move on.” The tweet followed news of Brown officially requesting a trade first reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Brown, a seven-time All-Pro, has had his share of disagreements with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and has had his share of off the field problems including a recent domestic violence accusation. However, he is an elite talent and is guaranteed to be a key trade target for many NFL teams.
How this affects the Steelers:
Antonio Brown requesting a trade is not good news for the Steelers. Between Le’Veon Bell sitting out this season due to a contract dispute, and Brown requesting a trade, it brings into question the way the Steelers front office is treating and managing their players. It also shows the friction occurring between players. Roethlisberger and Brown had a disagreement in Week 17, in which Antonio Brown didn’t practice, or play as the result. It’s a poor look for the Steelers, showing the conflicts within the organization.
CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora, reports that the Steelers will likely trade Brown to an NFC team, and would prefer not to trade him inside the AFC unless a last-minute solution. We have made a list of some potential landing spots for Antonio Brown based on current frontrunners.
Top 3 landing spots:
#1: San Francisco 49ers:
The San Francisco 49ers are currently the favorite to acquire Antonio Brown. Jimmy Garoppolo has elite quarterback potential, and he has a great offensive threat in tight end George Kittle. Kittle set a record for receiving yards by a tight end, and Kittle has already begun recruiting Antonio Brown.
Brown responded to the tweet, and also “liked” a photo in which he was photoshopped in a 49ers uniform. Niners Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice also reached out to Brown and even urged San Francisco to sign to the nine year veteran.
In an interview with 95.7 the Game, Rice made his pitch for Brown in the Red and God. ”If you got a player like that, that can really add to the offense, you have to go for it.”
Additionally, a Kyle Shanahan designed offense would be a perfect fit for a receiving presence like Antonio Brown. The 49ers have the substantially highest odds for receiving Antonio Brown in a trade and a combination of Garoppolo, Kittle and Antonio Brown would instantly shoot San Francisco into the NFC playoff picture.
#2: Oakland Raiders:
Although the 49ers are the frontrunners for Brown, the Raiders have had their name involved in discussions as well. Coach Jon Gruden has traded essentially every notable player on the Raiders with the exception of Derek Carr.
However, those trades resulted in the Raiders having three first-round picks in 2019. The Raiders currently have the seventh, 24th, and 27th pick in the draft. That could be a starting point to bring Brown to the Raiders.
#3: Arizona Cardinals:
The Cardinals have been blessed with having Larry Fitzgerald as their top receiver for over a decade. However, he is aging and reaching the end of his career, leaving the Cardinals in need of a new number one receiver. Rookie quarterback Josh Rosen has more upside than seen last season, leading to a potential landing spot for Brown. Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson has also released a tweet attempting to lure Antonio Brown to Arizona.
Other potential landing spots for Antonio Brown include the Green Bay Packers, who are looking for another playoff run with Aaron Rodgers. The Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets have also been linked to Brown.
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