The Antonio Brown news cycle continues, with this week bringing an update from Art Rooney II. The Steelers owner pointing to the All-Pro wide receiver having potentially worn out his welcome has ignited trade rumors.
An interesting team has emerged on that front. The Broncos are a team to keep an eye on as a Brown suitor, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). While mentioning cap-rich teams like the Colts, Jets and 49ers as potential Brown buyers, Rapoport notes the Broncos may be “plotting a run” at the superstar wideout.
Teams eyeing Brown may not have to fork over an Amari Cooper price, either. Rival GMs expect a second-round pick and possibly some additional compensation being enough to get a deal done, RapSheet adds. Brown’s four-year, $68MM deal, and perhaps the way his 2018 season ended, may well give teams caution despite his obvious superiority to Cooper as a player. The Steelers may well approach teams in trade talks, per Rapoport.
By the end of the regular season, the Broncos were reeling at receiver. They traded Demaryius Thomas and saw Emmanuel Sanders go down with a season-ending Achilles injury. But they do have Sanders’ contract on their books for one more season.
Sanders and Brown were both 2010 Pittsburgh rookies and played together until 2013. Sanders has been an essential part of Denver’s past five passing attacks and was on pace for another 1,000-yard season prior to going down. Sanders, 32 in March, is a year older than Brown (31 in July). He does not expect his former teammate to be a Steeler next season (Twitter link). But with Sanders set to make a non-guaranteed $10.15MM in 2019 and Brown tethered to a wideout-record deal ($22MM-plus ’19 cap number), Brown-to-Denver is a curious fit. Unless the Broncos are planning to replace Sanders with Brown.
The Broncos do have rookie contracts comprising the rest of their receiving corps and stand to hold more than $45MM in cap space, with some possible cap-casualty contracts — like Brandon Marshall or Ronald Leary — on their books. But reuniting the former Steelers teammates would tag the Broncos’ payroll with a historic cost at this position, even if it would mean a far more potent passing attack than what recent Denver teams have possessed.
As a broncos fan , getting a superstar wide receiver would be good move , but who is gonna get him the ball ?
teddy bridgewater lol.
Joe Flacco
If I’m the Steelers, I would trade him as far away as possible… NFC and West Coast. This guy will have a chip on his shoulder the size of a boulder and looking for payback… late first round pick or early to mid second round pick sounds about right due to age and contract size.
I would like the Cowboys to go get him. put him on the other side of Amari
Contract for the team aquiring is far from a problem. It will actually be A deal.
Explain
I’m pretty sure the Steelers play the NFC division next year so bad idea lol
Which NFC division? There’s 4 of them..
West, my bad forgot to put west lol
Hard to fathom that the Steelers are going to do this for a 2d rounder
Especially when it not only takes away a pro bowl WR and still gives them dead money on the books next season
Agreed. That’s probably why both parties left the door open for AB to play in Pittsburgh next season.
Brown worn out his welcome based on what happened the last week of the season. But their quarterback can cause all kinds of legal trouble, run their offense of coordinators are out of town and throw his teammate under the bus with the media but he has not worn out his welcome LOL!
“Their offense of coordinators are out of town”
He whines about Big Ben, he’ll have a meltdown with Keenum. Not to mention a huge contract, 31yrs old to start next year, and a huge crybaby. All yours for a 2nd rd +. Nobody will do that.
Nah… he’ll be just fine with Keenum. Keenum isn’t a passive aggressive diva and he doesn’t throw teammates under the bus. Yea… looks like age really slowed him down this year with those 15TD’s
Packers should do it for the 1st rounder they’re getting from the Saints.
Yes! Go pack go
If they do that then they need to trade for Foles
I could see the Jets swapping the #3 and Darron Lee for the #20 and AB. Lee could help them begin to recover from the loss of Shazier.
Would Chucky just sit on his hands and let a division rival grab Brown uncontested? The Raider have about 33 million more in cap space than Denver plus some additonal draft capital they could invest.