Five Teams That Should Sign Antonio Brown

Five Teams That Should Sign Antonio Brown

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The news that’s put the NFL world in a frenzy today was the Oakland Raiders releasing Antonio Brown after less than six months with the franchise.

Brown’s time with the Raiders has been a rollercoaster to say the least, but as one door closes another one opens. The superstar immediately becomes an unrestricted free agent—the first time in his entire career.

With Week 1 starting tomorrow it’s unlikely that he’ll see the field this weekend but it is definitely a possibility that Brown will be on another team at some point during the 2019 season.

Any team that brings him in will have stipulations that he must follow and it’s unlikely that he gets anywhere near the $30 million that the Raiders initially guaranteed and then voided—which will be taken to arbitration surely.

However, talent trumps everything in this league and Brown still has that in bunches.

He can be an impact player if he gets back on the field and for these five teams bringing him in is worth the risk.

1. Seattle Seahawks

Oakland Raiders head coach, Jon Gruden is a headstrong, personable, outspoken, and direct personality. He and Brown got along well during his short-stint in the Bay Area. In Pete Carroll, the Seattle Seahawks have the closest thing to Gruden on their sidelines.

Seattle is no strangers to sudden splash moves, they just made a deal with the Houston Texans for disgruntled edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney.

They’ve operated as a run-first team for the majority of Russell Wilson’s tenure with the franchise. With Tyler Lockett as the team’s best option out wide there’s not only space—Seahawks have $8.5 million in cap space according to ESPN’s Field Yates—but a real need for an All-Pro type of player in their receiving corps.

The Seahawks are looking to reclaim their spot atop the NFC West and adding Brown is surely one way to do that.

2. Indianapolis Colts

Heading into training camp, the Indianapolis Colts were talked about a lot as a team that could potentially become one of the AFC’s contenders for Super Bowl LIV. The team had their best roster since drafting Andrew Luck. However, Luck opted to retire as he was faced with another lengthy rehab due to an ankle and calf injury.

The team has faith in Jacoby Brissett to handle starter’s duties so all hope isn’t no loss. They also have T.Y. Hilton and tight ends Jack Doyle and Eric Ebron as pass catchers for him but why not double down and bring in Brown to join that group?

Making sure Brissett has the tools to not just survive but also excel could go a long way towards keeping their heads above water this season. The AFC South is wide-open at this point and bringing in Brown could give the Colts a leg up on the competition.

Indianapolis believes that they still have a team capable of performing at a high-level. They also have the most salary cap space in the NFL ($42 million) so taking a chance on Brown wouldn’t be a monetary problem.

3. San Francisco 49ers

We are starting year three of the Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch tenure running things in San Francisco. The first two seasons started with promise but injuries ultimately undid the team in the end. The hope is that third time is a charm as the saying goes.

Hope hinges on the team getting  a healthy and full season from quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Since being traded to the 49ers from New England he’s played in nine out of 24 possible games  for San Francisco.

Right now, his best receiving option is tight end George Kittle. If they want to make sure they get the most out of Garoppolo giving him Brown is a step in the right direction. Instead of trying to turn Dante Pettis and rookie Deebo Samuel into number one wide receivers before they’re ready, they can play roles their more suited for alongside Brown.

It also would be a bonus to rub it in the face of their Bay area neighbors if things did work out.

4. New England Patriots

Tom Brady is entering his 20th NFL season. He also just won his record-setting sixth Super Bowl. Things are not looking like they’ll be slowing down anytime soon for the New England Patriots.

When Rob Gronkowski announces he was retiring there were a lot of questions about who would step up to give the Patriots the production lost from the future Hall of Fame tight end. Heading into Week 1 the team’s top three receivers are: Josh Gordon, Julian Edelman, and Demariyus Thomas.

Not bad, but with Brown on the open market they could make it even better. We all know Bill Belichick isn’t afraid of brining in a player deemed as a knucklehead by another team—Gordon, Chad Ochocinco, Albert Haynesworth, and Randy Moss to name a few. If he’s willing to take a massive pay cut and adhere to the “Patriot Way” there’s no better place for Brown to remake his image than with the reigning Super Bowl champions.

A lot of the noise coming out after the Raiders released Brown was that New England would swoop in and turn him into MVP of Super Bowl LIV. It’s not entirely out of the question.

5. Green Bay Packers

The only team in the league with a win at the moment, the Green Bay Packers are not in the process of getting ready for a game this weekend. Maybe with that extra time off they will look into upgrading their brand new offense.

Matt LaFleur’s first game didn’t exactly bring a lot of reassurance that this new offensive philosophy will work out for the best. They scored just 10 points and outside of a 47-yard throw, there weren’t many explosive plays.

Brown is all about explosive plays. Opposing defenses already have their hands full trying to slow down Davante Adams, adding Brown to that mix will only make things tougher. While serviceable, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Geronimo Allison haven’t proven themselves as capable receivers. Bringing in Brown will give them a group that aligns more closely with what LaFleur’s mentor, Sean McVay has had in Brandin Cooks, Cooper Kupp, and Robert Woods.

Ultimately, the Packers went out of their way to break some of their norms—mainly spending in free agency—and an addition like this would fall more in line with what the “new” Green Bay has done. That first Lambeau Leap by Brown would be worth the price of admission.

Sep 7, 2019 No Comments
BREAKING NEWS: Oakland Raiders Release Antonio Brown

BREAKING NEWS: Oakland Raiders Release Antonio Brown

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This morning Antonio Brown made news as he asked for his release from the Oakland Raiders. By the afternoon, the Raiders granted him his wish.

On March 10, the Oakland Raiders traded a third and fifth-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for Antonio Brown. Brown has worn out his welcome with the Steelers and was looking for more guaranteed money that the team was not willing to give him.

The Raiders gave Brown a new deal that featured $30 million in guarantees.

Yet, less than six months later Oakland has parted ways with Brown. Over that time there have been many bumps in the relationship between both sides. Here’s a full timeline of Brown’s time with his now former team:

This has been a long journey with seemingly a new twist and turn coming at the drop of a hat.

Since his guaranteed were voided by the team—which Brown said was the reason he asked to be let go—Brown is not subjected to waivers meaning he can be picked up by any team at any time.

His talent is unquestionable but his antics as of late bring about more questions than answers.

With all of the drama that we just saw unfold it’s no certainty that Brown will return to an NFL field any time soon.

Sep 7, 2019 No Comments
BREAKING NEWS: Atlanta Falcons Make Julio Jones Highest-Paid Wide Receiver In NFL

BREAKING NEWS: Atlanta Falcons Make Julio Jones Highest-Paid Wide Receiver In NFL

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Another day, another million dollars. Extension season continues in the NFL, this time its the Atlanta Falcons and superstar wide receiver, Julio Jones who have agreed to a new deal.

The two sides have been negotiating all offseason and while there have been hiccups along the way, it seemed destined that they would ultimately reach an agreement.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the deal will be a three-year extension for $66 million. This would beat Michael Thomas’ yearly value by $2 million making Jones the highest paid wide receiver in the league.

Jones has sat out the whole preseason and during his preseason press conference he said he was unsure if he would play if he didn’t get a new contract well that option is out of the window now. Jones will suit up tomorrow in Minnesota and will do so with more money than any other player who lines up at wideout this weekend.

Sep 7, 2019 No Comments
BREAKING NEWS: Kansas City Chiefs Give Tyreek Hill a Three-Year Contract Extension

BREAKING NEWS: Kansas City Chiefs Give Tyreek Hill a Three-Year Contract Extension

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The money just keeps on flowing from NFL teams. This time it is Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver, Tyreek Hill who is the recipient.

It was announced that the Chiefs had agreed to a three-year $54 million contract extension with Hill. $35.5 million is guaranteed and the deal also includes a $5.8 million signing bonus.

A fifth-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft—Hill’s stock was down due to being kicked off of Oklahoma State’s football team in 2014 for choking and punching his pregnant girlfriend—the 2019 season was the final year of his rookie deal.

Earlier this offseason, there was a chance that Hill might be suspended due to an alleged domestic violence situation involving his child’s mother and his son. Ultimately, the league choose not to discipline the speedster and he has been present at every practice during the team’s training camp this summer.

With Hill locked in until 2022, Kansas City’s offense will look to remain as one of the dominant units in the NFL for the foreseeable future.

Sep 6, 2019 No Comments
Primetime Preview: Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears

Primetime Preview: Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears

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THE NFL IS BACK!

In honor of the league celebrating 100 seasons, the first game will feature the rivalry between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers to open the season.

The game takes place at 8:20 PM EST at Soldier Field and will air on NBC.

To get you ready for what is to come here’s a preview of who to watch and what to watch for in tonight’s season opener.

Chicago made a huge turnaround a season ago and are looking to follow up one good season with a second.

Green Bay is starting fresh as Matt LaFleur replaces Mike McCarthy on the sidelines giving Aaron Rodgers a new offense to run.

The division foes will be meeting for the 199th time. The Packers hold a 97-95-6 edge over the previous 198 games played.

Headlining this most recent face off is Khalil Mack for the Bears and Rodgers for the Packers. Both are among the best players at their positions and are equally capable of winning the game on their own. Yet, for all of their talents the team that wins tonight’s game will be the one that gets the most out of their entire roster.

For Chicago, they are in the second year under Andy Reid protégée, Matt Nagy. Last year his offense was a big part of why the Bears jumped all the way up to third place in the NFC in 2018.

Getting Mitchell Trubisky out of the pocket and throwing on the move and scrambling down field made him an even tougher player to prepare for. Now with a full season under his belt, he should be even more comfortable which could lead to more explosive plays.

Speaking of big gains, Tarik Cohen is now join in the backfield by rookie running back David Montgomery. Those two will surely be the source of several 20-plus yard plays over the course of the season.

With Green Bay losing Clay Matthews in free agency and Oren Burks to a pectoral injury they are now forced to start seventh-round rookie draft pick Ty Summers. The TCU grad was highly impressive in the preseason but Week 1 presents a completely different set of circumstances.

This will also be LaFleur’s first test as a head coach. Granted he has arguably the most talented quarterback the NFL has ever seen as a security blanket. It’ll be interesting to see just how different the offense actually looks with a real game here.

Coming from the Sean McVay coaching tree means there will be more emphasis on the run than we have seen at any other time Rodgers has called the shots. Aaron Jones was great in short usage last season, can he answer the call as more of a core piece to the Packers offense?

Also, will another receiver besides Davante Adams step up as there will be more sets with multiple wideouts on the field together in this new system. Geronimo Allison and Marquez Valdes-Scantling are the logical choices to fill that void.

The newness of Green Bay’s offense will be put to the test by Mack and the rest of the Bears strong defense. While they lost Vic Fangio to Denver, they replace him with another respected defensive mind in Chuck Pagano.

If Chicago can bring the same intensity to defense as they had last year they’ll be a tough opponent for the new-look Packers, especially on the road.

Sep 6, 2019 No Comments