Antonio Brown is officially a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the two sides have finalized a one-year contract. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo tweets that the deal is worth slightly more than a minimum salary, although there are per-game roster bonuses, individual incentives, and team incentives.
Besides Brown’s continued antics over the past year-plus, it’s not overly surprising that he had to settle for this kind of incentive-laden deal. Bruce Arians had previously dealt with Brown when he was the wide receivers coach in Pittsburgh, and the Buccaneers head coach had consistently stated that the Bucs wouldn’t be signing the wideout. Perhaps the low-risk contract has partly swayed Arians’ opinion.
One individual who was clamoring for Brown was Tom Brady. The quarterback is signed through the 2021 season, so if the wide receiver is a productive member of the offense, there’s a chance he could stick around beyond the 2020 campaign.
Here’s some more news and notes pertaining to the AB signing:
- ESPN’s Jenna Laine writes that Brown’s signing is all about maximizing Brady’s window. While Arians may have previously been against adding the wideout, Laine believes Tampa Bay’s continued offensive injuries (a list that includes Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Scott Miller, and O.J. Howard) may have changed his mind. Plus, Laine writes that the “feeling inside the organization” is that Arians has a strong personality that can keep Brown in line, and there’s also Brady’s positive influence. The writer also points out that Brown was teammates with three members of the coaching staff: offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, offensive assistant Antwaan Randle El, and outside linebackers coach Larry Foote.
- Sheil Kapadia of The Athletic wonders why the Buccaneers are taking the unnecessary risk of signing Brown. Tampa Bay is leading the NFC in point differential, and while that has mostly been thanks to the defense, the offense has been plenty competent. Brown’s talent means he could naturally provide the passing game with a significant boost, but Kapadia thinks it’s more likely that “he’ll be a problem.”
- Here’s a fun one for fans of conspiracies. Following public reports of the Seahawks interest in Brown, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com wonders why Seattle let that information leak in the first place. One argument could be made that the Seahawks “recklessly invited a competitor to swoop in” and sign the wideout, while another argument could be made that the Seahawks deliberately leaked the news. Why would they do that? Florio writes that the Seahawks may have been doing the modern-day version of the Trojan Horse, hoping that Brown’s signing would derail his suitor’s season. In another piece, Florio notes that those “within league circles” wonder if Pete Carroll “repeatedly confirmed interest in Brown in the hopes that someone else would sign” the receiver.
- Greg Auman of The Athletic explores the 22-month span that saw Brown going from a star wideout with the Steelers to a low-salary, midseason signing with the Buccaneers. The story starts in December of 2018, when Brown was benched for Pittsburgh’s season finale and subsequently missed his exit meeting with Mike Tomlin.
Sounds like Antonio Brown with all those connections ended up in the perfect place.
How’s this gonna work?…Brady going to drop back and start slinging footballs with both hands simultaneously smh?!..
Someone’s not gonna be happy with targets and my luck its all my Fantasy shares of Chris Godwin lol
Brady’s gonna have all those guys on his offense and still throw the ball to Scotty Miller
Evens and Godwin have been hurt along with OJ Howard being out. Time for other wideouts to heal properly.
If the Bucs can keep AB active, productive, and COVID-free, Byron Leftwich May be able to choose which head coaching gig he wants.
After all, Byron Leftwich did so much with Josh Rosen in Arizona.
It’s going to be interesting to see if he’s going to spin off the planet while playing for the Bucs. Hopefully he can get his act together and not be a detriment to the team like most folks expect him to be.
The modern day version of the Trojan Horse is what Joe Biden is doing for the liberal left
This isn’t Facebook. Stick to sports
Just like these athletes should
but they have earned a platform that they have earned to be able to talk about other issues. You’re just some inconsequential bloke sitting in front of his computer trying to make sports talk political. Just because you can post political thoughts in a free space doesn’t mean you should
Maybe everybody should just stop right now before it gets out of hand? Because this actually is not the purpose of this site?
smart call ak
He’s still a cancer and a clown so goodluck
its not an if with Brown. its a when. he will do something sooner or later.
Hope for nothing short of a complete meltdown for TB for employing this jerk.
“forwhomjoshbelltolls • 4 months ago
I’m looking at the Bucs.
Arians knew him before the CTE set in and he might play for the minimum there because of Brady.”
“forwhomjoshbelltolls • 3 months ago
The Pats ended up paying him $5 million or so to settle the grievance.
He’ll unretire in about 3 months after he’s spent it.”
As crazy as he is, he’s not hard to figure out.
Jenna, Godwin was removed from the injury report, and it sounds as if Evans is making good progress.
No way to spin it, this was a terrible move. It reeks of Brady needing more help to mask his decline in skills. So the Bucs sold out and brought in this clown AB.
Only time will tell whether this move will succeed or fail. Does Brady still have the arm strength to find Brown on the deep routes over the top? Will Brown have the same route efficiency, game-speed and agility? Can we answer that question w/o projecting an emotional reaction to Brown’s very public trials and tribulations? I can’t- I find myself feeling relieved and almost happy that AB did not sign with the Seahawks.
I never believed all the hype and rumors connecting Seattle with AB anyway-we simply don’t need help in that dept. We have two amazing WR1’s and a solid big bodied WR3 in David Moore. Who btw has already made 2 highlight reel TD’s worthy of a catch-of-the-yr award! Our rookie Freddie Swain looks like a steal as a 6th rd draft pick. We’ve signed Josh Gordon who should hopefully be reinstated any day now, I’ve long felt like the Commissioner would give him a half a season (8g) ban.
Our FA signing-the speedster Phillip Dorsett III should be activated for the week 9 game. This gives Russell another long ball threat over the top. He has two good TE’s in Olsen and Dissly as well as an RB1 (Carson) with really good hands. Okay, you can never have enough All-pro players on your team but with so many players needing to be activated over the next week- Dorsett, (hopefully) Josh Gordon, DJ Reed, Carlos Dunlap, Snacks Harrison and 2018 1st rd pick Rashaad Penny the Seahawks already have simply too many good players for too few roster spots!! Pete Carroll will always be linked to high profile FA’s because of his consistent response to the media’s questions on FA’s- “we will continue to look at all options and possibilities.” This time the media bought it hook, line and sinker!
As much as Brown has been a problem, he has also been productive. We seem to forget that. So while he’ll likely have an episode or two down the line, his production in the meantime might benefit his new team.
I do despise superteams, as a side note. If they do win the Super Bowl, do we give Brady all the credit like we always do?
no one’s forgetting it. the fact is though, if you are a talented NFL player you get plenty of shots, but even Brown hasnt been able to land a job in a bit. that says something about how much of a problem he is.
He hasn’t been able to “land a job in a bit” because he’s been suspended by the NFL. Now that his suspension is ending teams were lining up to sign him. At least be fair in your arguments. Sheesh.
Don’t know that we all would agree that “teams were lining up to sign him”? We’ll probably never know for sure as many teams that could use a marketing push forward right now will probably spin it that they were “in line” and trying to sign him…in all probability, he had very few choices other than the Bucs due to him being him!
Assuming he has no issues with reinstatement…Week 9 is the first game he can play in….how many weeks until there is drama?
He plays 2 games and his projections for his incentives are showing him falling short of making his money so….he explodes…….
I think he’s worth a shot .With Covid and injuries he gives em some depth.Definitely his last chance.
I’m openly rooting for this to fail.
I hope the guy changed his life and attitude, and will prove everybody wrong and go play to his potential.