Antonio Brown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Antonio Brown is like the bad cold that won’t go away. You take the cold meds, and you feel like the cold is on its last legs. Which is great because the last bit of medicine is gone. Next day you wake up and BAM! The cold is back in business. That’s how 12’s are feeling regarding these never-ending rumors about the Seattle Seahawks showing interest in AB.
Yes, Brown is a very talented player on the field. He’s one of the rare receivers who can succeed at a high level both in and out of the slot. This is especially impressive, considering Brown’s isn’t very big for an NFL receiver at 5-10. By comparison, TY Hilton (5’10”) only plays on the outside.
Of course, height isn’t the only determining factor. There are other things like speed and skill. Brown has plenty of both.
His results speak for themselves. In 11 NFL seasons, he has 886 receptions (23rd all-time), 11,746 (31st), and 84 touchdowns (53rd). He could end his career with 1,000, 13,000, and 100. They give out gold jackets in Canton for those numbers.
Anyone who thinks Brown is done at almost 33-years-old better think again. After his reinstatement by the Commissioner’s Office, AB played eight games for the Bucs. He finished the regular season with 45 receptions for 483 yards and four TDs. Including the playoffs, Brown had six touchdown receptions in his last six games.
If talent and results were the only factors, Brown would be on a roster right now. Unfortunately, there’s more to his story than catching footballs. That’s why we’ll take a look at the good and bad.
There are two big reasons why the Seahawks are interested in Antonio Brown. First, he can help them win. Second, Russell Wilson wants him. Make no mistake; the Seahawks are still doing all they can to take care of and appease Wilson. The team already made a good upgrade move along the offensive line by trading for Gabe Jackson.
Adding Antonio Brown would be another positive as the organization tries to make nice with RW3. Remember last summer, during the NFL’s hiatus when Russ and Geno Smith worked out with Brown. They both raved about AB. The Seahawks decided to go a different route and signed Josh Gordon.
Some 12’s were drooling about the idea of the Seahawks going three-wide with Tyler Lockett, D.K. Metcalf and Gordon. Three guys who can stretch the field and take one pass to pay dirt. That never materialized. Just as Gordon was about to return from suspension in December, he had a substance abuse relapse.
David Moore played well as the third receiver but wasn’t as explosive. Insert Brown, and that same drool is back. Imagine a defense like the Rams that likes to play one-on-one, coverage on one side with bracket coverage on the other. There’s no way a team can do that with those three wide receivers on the field.
Currently, Tampa Bay, and probably Tom Brady, want AB back. For his part, Brown wants to be back with the defending Super Bowl Champions as well, but both sides are very far apart in terms of money. This is the perfect time for the Seahawks to swoop in and pay AB.
The Seahawks don’t have a lot of salary cap space, but they’ve got more than Tampa. That may be all it takes. More money and the chance to play with Wilson are big incentives to come to Seattle.
The off-field issues for Antonio Brown are what concerns teams. Brown’s legal problems stem from allegedly raping his former trainer Britney Taylor. This lawsuit is currently unresolved.
There’s also the question of Brown’s mental state. In 2019 it appeared that Brown might have some mental health problems. AB said he wasn’t going to play in the NFL; he couldn’t use his specific helmet design. His design wasn’t on the approved list.
This led to him sitting out a majority of training camp. The Raiders resorted to fining Brown. He allegedly had a blow-up with Vegas GM Mike Mayock. Therefore, even before playing a game for the Raiders, they let him go. Brown said he didn’t want to play football anymore. A week or two later, he recanted and apologized, stating he wanted to play football. The Patriots signed Brown.
There was a condition about his signing. When it comes to interviews, he had to adhere to the Patriot Way and limit the discussion to football. Brown was able to comply with this policy for one interview.
After his first game with the Pats, he spoke about his legal trouble. New England cut him a day later. Brown issued a statement claiming the NFL was against him and that he didn’t need football. He was done playing football for good.
Then AB had an altercation with a moving truck company and assaulted one of their drivers. That led to an eight-game suspension to start the 2021 season.
We know how the story ends. Brown signed with the Tamp Bay Buccaneers during the season and helped them win a Super Bowl.
And we haven’t even mentioned his ridiculous tweets. That’s an article all by itself.
If the Seahawks don’t sign Brown, then it’s possible Wilson’s relationship with the organization could deteriorate further. So, GM John Schneider needs to get on the phone with AB’s representatives and do some financial gymnastics or magic to get AB the money he wants to play in Seattle.
Do you think the Seattle Seahawks should sign Antonio Brown? Let us know in the comments section below.