THE AB SWEEPSTAKES
Jesse Pantuosco
February 20, 2019, 1:01 pm ET
Say what you will about Kanye West and his … everything. But even if the world’s preeminent Taylor Swift interrupter isn’t your cup of tea, you have to admit, the mind behind The College Dropout and Late Registration (among his many masterpieces) has a knack for grand gestures. Yeezy spared no expense last week, upping the Valentine’s Day ante by summoning jazz legend Kenny G to his rose-filled living room, where the saxophonist proceeded to serenade Kim Kardashian with a surprise performance. It was overly extravagant in the most Kanye way imaginable, but if you’re able to look past the insane pageantry, it’s obvious the rapper has a deep affection for his wife of five years. An eccentric genius whose Grammy count is exceeded only by his infinite number of public meltdowns enjoying the fruits of marital bliss. Imagine that.
While all is well on the West/Kardashian front, a nasty split is brewing in the Steel City. Antonio Brown, who in many ways has emerged as the Kanye of NFL wide receivers, wants out. The divorce papers are signed and now all the Steelers need is a willing trade partner. It’s been reported a handful of teams have soured on the high-maintenance pass-catcher due to his recent antics, but don’t let those rumblings fool you—most of the league would give an arm and a leg for even one season of Brown’s immense greatness. Comprised of talent and lunacy in equal measure, the enigmatic AB should have no shortage of suitors when and if the Steelers make him available. For your convenience, I’ve highlighted a few of his most likely destinations. Let the games begin!
Green Bay Packers
After spending the past several seasons squandering Aaron Rodgers’ prime, the Packers are in desperate need of a shake-up. With underachieving slot man Randall Cobb headed for free agency and tight end Jimmy Graham in steep decline, Green Bay enters 2019 with a pancake-thin pass-catching corps. The Pack can remedy that by pairing the mercurial Brown with Davante Adams, who quietly posted a head-turning 111-1,386-13 receiving line as Rodgers’ go-to target in 2018.
A master at stirring the pot, AB signaled his interest in Green Bay over the weekend by liking a photo-shopped image of himself in a Packers uniform. Surely the Miami native would jump at the opportunity to align himself with an all-time great, even if it means spending winters in the Arctic Circle. Newly minted head coach Matt LaFleur is still a relative unknown but at least he’s young, has a mind for offense and knows the right people (he once shared a sideline with football Doogie Howser, Sean McVay). He’s not Mike McCarthy, which is also a plus. The frigid Midwestern climate would certainly appeal to Brown’s fashion sensibilities, particularly his affinity for fur coats. Just saying.
Houston Texans
Nobody is really talking about Houston as a landing spot for Brown, but I could definitely see it. Now that the Texans have called it quits on failed trade acquisition Demaryius Thomas (who was injured anyway), Houston’s pass-catching group is looking mighty thin behind all-world talent DeAndre Hopkins. Will Fuller could be that guy for Houston but his suspect hands (he’s been plagued by drops since his days in South Bend) and durability concerns don’t paint a rosy picture for his long-term prospects. Even so, Fuller is more of an intermittent lid-lifter than a true go-to weapon, which is exactly the label Brown has carried throughout his career.
Coming off a division title, their third in four years, the Texans aren’t far from reaching the promised land. The Patriots and Chiefs are still threats but with 2017 first-rounder Deshaun Watson proving to be as good as advertised, the Texans may as well shoot their shot. Can you imagine a real-life NFL offense—not a fantasy team or whatever wild concoction you might conjure up on Madden dynasty mode—containing BOTH of the league’s best wide receivers (apologies to Odell Beckham and Julio Jones)? If I was an opposing DB and saw Houston up next on the schedule, I’d probably call in sick.
Indianapolis Colts
Brown has long claimed that winning is his top priority. If that sentiment is to be taken at face value (in literary terms, AB has always been something of an unreliable narrator), teaming up with Andrew Luck in Indianapolis, a large suburb of Pawnee, Indiana, might be his best chance to do exactly that. The Colts are, among their many positive qualities, well-coached, dripping with young talent on both sides of the ball (Darius Leonard, Marlon Mack, Quenton Nelson, etc.) and are propped up by one of the league’s steadiest passers, the hopelessly polite Luck. Some teams will balk at absorbing Brown’s huge contract, but the Colts aren’t one of them. They enter the offseason with a league-high $107.7 million in available cap room.
And let’s be honest. Outside of T.Y. Hilton and Eric Ebron (whose touchdown rate is utterly unsustainable), who can the Colts really rely on in their passing game? Chester Rogers and Dontrelle Inman aren’t needle-movers while Ryan Grant’s 2018 campaign gave way to more clunkers than Adam Sandler’s film catalogue. The Colts are thought to be a front-runner for Le’Veon Bell (Indy is reportedly the running back’s top choice), but with Marlon Mack under cheap control for the next two seasons, paying a king’s ransom for Bell wouldn’t make much sense. But shoring up receiver, an actual position of need, by acquiring Bell’s former teammate? Now that idea has legs.
New England Patriots
I know nobody really wants to hear this save for fantasy owners with heavy Brown shares and obnoxious New Englanders like Mark Wahlberg, but here’s the god’s honest truth—AB and the Patriots are a match made in heaven. You probably wouldn’t think a team mere weeks removed from Super Bowl glory would have any holes to fill, but the Pats have a pretty glaring one at wide receiver. Aside from Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman, New England’s pass-catching corps doesn’t offer much substance. That position only stands to grow weaker with Chris Hogan and Phillip Dorsett both headed for free agency and Josh Gordon still miles away from gaining reinstatement. The Pats are also waiting on a resolution from Rob Gronkowski, who is weighing retirement for the second time in as many years.
Brown and Tom Brady have a shared admiration for each other and while the Steelers have vowed not to break bread with their long-time rival, the Pats have plenty to offer with four early-round picks (Nos. 32, 56, 64 and 73) in the upcoming draft. Brown is already on a Hall of Fame trajectory, but adding a Super Bowl ring to his resume wouldn’t be a bad way to bolster his already-elite credentials. Bill Belichick has routinely coaxed dominant efforts out of malcontents (see Randy Moss, Corey Dillon, etc.) and won’t hesitate to take Brown under his wing. The Patriots were hot for Odell Beckham at last year’s deadline, another indication the team has no misgivings taking on a player with enormous baggage. In fact, the Patriots seem to welcome the challenge of taming big personalities like Moss, Chad Johnson and countless others who wore out their welcome with other teams. Perhaps the Steelers will stay true to their word by ignoring New England’s overtures, but if the Pats offer the most for AB (the Steelers are losing leverage by the day now that the cat’s out of the bag), it will be hard for Pittsburgh to turn them down.
New York Jets
Might the Jets, who have been linked to Bell seemingly since his arrival on Earth 27 years ago, attempt a Pittsburgh double-dip? If the plan is to back up the Brink’s truck for Bell (with over $102 million in cap space at their disposal, the Jets can essentially hand him a blank check), New York may as well go for the jugular by making the Steelers an offer for Brown they can’t refuse. Even with one of the league’s weaker receiving groups, third overall pick Sam Darnold still showed promise last year, completing 64 percent of his throws with six touchdowns and only one interception (99.1 quarterback rating) over the season’s final month.
New York has money to burn and if the team spends wisely in free agency, the Jets could be in the playoff hunt as soon as this year. Maybe I’m way off but Antonio seems like a fellow who enjoys the spotlight. Playing in the league’s biggest media market would certainly quench that thirst. With Golden Tate and Devin Funchess heading an exceedingly weak free agent class at wide receiver, the Jets’ best chance to improve at that position is to put their chips in the center of the table and see if the Steelers bite.
Pittsburgh Steelers
I know it’s a long shot but hear me out at least. Brown has always worn his heart on his sleeve and though last year’s practice blow-up on Ben Roethlisberger (which ultimately led to his benching in Week 17) represented the low point of his Steelers tenure, Pittsburgh will always have a place in AB’s heart. Sure, he and Ben fight like cats and dogs but their on-field chemistry is undeniable and besides, where else could Brown get away with shenanigans like this (and also this)? When the dust settles, Antonio will probably realize, albeit too late, that he had a pretty good thing going in Pittsburgh.
Brown seems intent on breaking up with the team that drafted him nine years ago, but the Central Michigan alum could always have a change of heart (Patrick Peterson did). It isn’t really up to AB anyway. He’s not getting released and the Steelers will be asking for a pretty penny in trade talks. A clean break remains the most likely outcome, but if the Steelers don’t get an offer to their liking, they don’t have to do a darn thing. Whether they can accept the ensuing headache is up to owner Art Rooney (who Brown met with on Tuesday) and GM Kevin Colbert.
San Francisco 49ers
If Brown had it his way, he’d already be a 49er. Mr. Big Chest (the nickname he’s been going by for the last 24 hours) hinted at his interest by posting a photo-shopped picture of himself wearing a San Francisco jersey while embracing Niners legend Jerry Rice (subtlety has never been Brown’s strong suit). Clearly the 30-year-old has dreams of following in Rice’s footsteps, a fact confirmed by Rice himself as well as Terrell Owens (another Niners great), who has served as Brown’s mentor in recent years. San Francisco could certainly use him after getting little production from its wideouts in 2018.
The presence of up-and-coming QB Jimmy Garoppolo and offensive-leaning head coach Kyle Shanahan are also selling points, though ultimately, the 49ers will have to be sold on AB first. The seven-time Pro Bowler is a transcendent talent but after burning every bridge on his way out of Pittsburgh, is he worth the trouble? That’s for each individual team to decide but if I were calling the shots, the answer is yes.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I haven’t heard any discussion of the Bucs pursuing Brown, but here’s why I see them as a dark horse. Like many of the other teams mentioned, the Buccaneers have a need at wide receiver, or at least they will soon. In a sluggish free agent crop, slot receiver Adam Humphries is sure to be overpaid this offseason while disgruntled deep man DeSean Jackson figures to be dealt at some point. That still leaves Tampa Bay with two pretty good receivers in Mike Evans (who obliterated Mark Carrier’s team record for receiving yards last season) and Chris Godwin, but if the Bucs really want to make a splash, it wouldn’t hurt to give the Steelers a buzz and see what their asking price is for AB. The Buccaneers bottomed out with a lackluster 2018 campaign but should be strong rebound candidates under new coach Bruce Arians. Adding Brown to the equation would only improve their chances of a quick turnaround.
This offseason is sure to pack quite a punch. We’ve already seen Kareem Hunt land in Cleveland and Joe Flacco bid Baltimore adieu, among other early happenings. But we’re all waiting for the Antonio shoe to drop. And when it does, you’ll hear it loud and clear, like smooth jazz on Kenny G’s saxophone.
