Antonio Brown is a free agent with the ability to sign with any team in the NFL.
Life comes at you fast.
So what’s next for the talented but unpredictable wide receiver?
Obviously, there is much involved with bringing this personality onto a given roster — especially considering the overdose of drama that led to his release by the Oakland Raiders — but where is Brown as a player right now and schematically, what is best for him?
He is an elite route runner that simply explodes out of his breaks. Brown has fantastic ball skills and body control and despite his smaller frame, plays like a bigger receiver. He excels after the catch as well as beating the coverage over the top. Brown attacks all levels of the field incredibly well and is a touchdown machine. He also consistently beats press coverage and has shown to be equally effective outside or in the slot.
Brown still does it all.
There are a lot of factors, though, when looking to sign Brown including his potential contract, his personality and his fit in the locker room.
But based primarily on his playmaking ability, let’s examine which teams might provide the best on-field fits — if they can stomach his off-the-field behavior.
Cowboys / Cardinals / Ravens / Bills / 49ers / Bucs / Patriots
Dallas Cowboys
This can’t possibly happen, right? Well, we sure know that Jerry Jones is in it to win it. He brought in Terrell Owens at one point and that worked out … for a while. This is an organization that hasn’t shied away from adding big personalities. Michael Gallup is a promising second receiver to Amari Cooper, but just imagine if Cooper were the second receiver? On paper, this might very well be the best team in the league with Brown added into the mix. That might be sweet music to Jones’ ears.
Cowboys / Cardinals / Ravens / Bills / 49ers / Bucs / Patriots
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals need every quality wide receiver they can get, and with all respect to Larry Fitzgerald at this stage of his amazing career, they don’t have a true No. 1 option at the moment. In this spread system with wide alignments, Brown should have plenty of space to operate and turn cornerbacks into knots. But by adding Brown to Arizona, does a three-win team then become a five-win team? Is that enough payoff for incorporating Brown’s baggage, especially while trying to develop Kyler Murray?
Cowboys / Cardinals / Ravens / Bills / 49ers / Bucs / Patriots
Baltimore Ravens
Playing the way the Ravens do on offense, Baltimore might have a tough time attracting talented wide receivers in free agency. So maybe this is a rare shot for the Ravens to add a big-time playmaker at this position. Also, Brown’s cousin Marquise Brown was Baltimore’s first-round pick this year. The Ravens played against Brown at least twice a year for his entire career to date, and John Harbaugh realizes how difficult Brown is to defend. But Brown almost certainly isn’t going to get the ball as often as he wants in Baltimore. Is that scenario worth the risk?
Cowboys / Cardinals / Ravens / Bills / 49ers / Bucs / Patriots
Buffalo Bills
At one point in the Brown saga with Pittsburgh, it looked as though he would be traded to the Bills. There was clear interest on Buffalo’s end. But it also seemed quite clear that Brown had no interest in joining the Bills. Brown now may see fewer options available and might consider becoming Josh Allen’s top weapon. But the toxicity could derail a train that is beginning to chug along in the right direction.
Cowboys / Cardinals / Ravens / Bills / 49ers / Bucs / Patriots
San Francisco 49ers
This is another team that was rumored to be interested in trading for Brown while Pittsburgh was shopping him. The Shanahan system also traditionally has featured a true No. 1 stud receiver, something Kyle Shanahan has lacked in San Francisco. Brown would fit this system just fine, and Shanahan would likely do a great job of scheming him up to get him the football early and often. But, of course we keep going back to this, does a young team trying to build a culture really want this guy in the locker room?
Cowboys / Cardinals / Ravens / Bills / 49ers / Bucs / Patriots
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers don’t lack for pass catchers. That said, do you think Bruce Arians would mind adding a mercurial talent into the equation? Arians is a risk taker who coached Brown in Pittsburgh, and Tampa Bay’s ownership might not impede such a controversial roster addition. Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, O.J. Howard and Brown would be the best foursome of receivers in the entire NFL — and it probably isn’t even close. Arians could employ Brown deep downfield as well as in a chain-moving capacity. Such a move might go a long way to saving Jameis Winston’s career. Or … it could be the beginning of the implosion of the entire organization.
Cowboys / Cardinals / Ravens / Bills / 49ers / Bucs / Patriots
New England Patriots
This is a team that many (mostly fans) throw into this discussion. The Patriots’ culture can accommodate any player, right? Tom Brady and Bill Belichick will keep Brown in line. They need help at wide receiver. The problem here is twofold. New England has very little in the way of salary cap space, but more importantly, for the sake of this article, learning the Patriots’ offensive system almost always takes a long time for a wide receiver. With all of Brown’s great attributes, the ability to quickly learn an offense isn’t one of them. Still, this really would be a Patriots type of move — and the thought of it couldn’t be any more intriguing.
Cowboys / Cardinals / Ravens / Bills / 49ers / Bucs / Patriots / TOP
