It sounds like an Antonio Brown trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers is imminent, which means we’re all preparing to see just what the franchise will get in exchange for one of the NFL’s premiere receiver talents.
But this is where Steelers fans have to take a step back and realize that whatever they get back will be a win for Pittsburgh. I’m no NFL insider, but I’d be willing to throw down some ducats on a bet that it won’t be a first-round draft pick, which is what the Steelers would want for Mr. Big Chest.
There are a few reasons why it’s not going to be the haul that Brown might have commanded a couple of years ago: First, there’s the fact that he’s 30 years old, with nine seasons under his belt. His best days are likely behind him or will be soon enough.
Then there’s the way this offseason has played out. It began at the end of 2018, when Brown was reportedly benched in Week 17 because he skipped practice and had a conflict with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Then there were the public comments over social media that took whatever was left of a relationship between himself and the team and torched it (also, he made it clear he wanted to join the 49ers). There’s also the fact that there are signs that something troubling is going on with him that go beyond the antics.
So now NFL teams know that the Steelers have to get rid of Brown or they’ll end up with a very pricey holdout who may continue to take his fight public.
Pittsburgh is in an impossible position, no matter what. Brown’s contract will be a heaping amount of dead money against their cap in 2019, and the team that acquires him will be getting Brown at a bargain price. At least the Steelers have a No. 1 wideout in JuJu Smith-Schuster, as long as his 2018 breakout wasn’t mostly due to the attention defenses paid to Brown. There’s also James Washington, one year removed from being a second-round pick out of Oklahoma State.
Let’s also not forget that NFL trades don’t always necessarily result in the kind of return we think they will. Jimmy Garoppolo — a bona fide starting quarterback in a league that heavily depends on them — wasn’t worth a first-rounder. The Vikings did spend a first-rounder choice on Sam Bradford, but that was a desperation move after Teddy Bridgewater’s horrible knee injury.
I keep going back to the Randy Moss deal in 2010 — when the Patriots got only a third and a seven. They’d been able to buy low three years prior — sending just a fourth-rounder to the Raiders after Moss had a down year — and Moss had completely rekindled his career. But he still wasn’t worth much.
Whatever GM Kevin Colbert gets for Brown will be a win at his point. It’s best to not fight it. The moment Brown’s unhappiness spilled over late last year was the moment any high value the Steelers could get for him disappeared.
