Update: Raiders acquire WR Antonio Brown from PIT

[dplank]

He's been the best WR in football for like 6 straight years now. Every year over 100 catches and a 1000 yards. If he was a POS like you guys claim, he wouldn't be producing like this. he works, he plays.

Most great WR are primadonnas outside of Jerry Rice.

His age scares me a little, I didn't know he was 31 (he's 30, turns 31 in July). So his window is short and that should drive down his price for acquisition.

Sorry guys but I want a fucking super bowl already, been waiting since 85. At some point you go for it, IMO this is the year to do so as we're poised to win it all with our D.

[wab]

At some point you go for it, IMO this is the year to do so as we're poised to win it all with our D.

And if you go for it too hard, you become the mid 2000's Redskins.

The Bears don't really have a #1 WR. That's really by design because of how the Bears offense functions. Robinson is it by default, but collectively the Bears receiving core is as effective as just Brown would be.

[dplank]

Situation and players are different, but this sounds an awful lot like the back and forth before the Mack trade. Same type of reasoning, always playing a future hand, clutching on to mid tier players and risky draft picks vs a sure thing super star.

The 2000 Redskins we are not.

Agree to disagree I suppose.

[wab]

Situation and players are different, but this sounds an awful lot like the back and forth before the Mack trade. Same type of reasoning, always playing a future hand, clutching on to mid tier players and risky draft picks vs a sure thing super star.

The 2000 Redskins we are not.

Agree to disagree I suppose.

I'll respectfully disagree that Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, Anthony Miller, and Trey Burton are "mid-tier" players.

There are future considerations to bringing on AB. Say the Bears win it all...then what. They have put themselves in a bad financial position by giving a lot of money to an aging WR. They win a super bowl in 2019 and have to dismantle the team shortly after.

I don't want the Bears to be good enough to win the super bowl for one year. I want them to be good enough to win the super bowl for a long time.

[southdakbearfan]

Just based on him being a very me me me player I would be willing to bet that pace hasn’t and won’t consider it for a second.

[The Marshall Plan]

They could probably trade Miller and Howard, and get Brown, but it would be a HORRIBLE trade. Right now, I would rather have Miller.

Don't want him though. No thank you.

Agreed.

Don't need to trade for AB. Give my man AM17, He Plays All The Hits All The Time On AM17 baby, 2-3 years and he could very well be Antonio Brown.

This isn't an offense that needs an elite WR to be successful. We need receivers that can get open and catch the ball when it is thrown to them. I would also rather have the receiving group we have with several above average receivers (AR15, AM17 and Gabriel), than a group with AB and then a bunch of whatever because we can't afford better talent.

We need a dual threat three down RB much much more than we need an elite receiver.

[southdakbearfan]

I can already hear brown bitching about not getting the ball enough after a 7-0 start to the season.

[IotaNet]

Just based on him being a very me me me player I would be willing to bet that pace hasn’t and won’t consider it for a second.

This

[Bearfacts]

Nice article for those with all kinds of time on their hands. The reality of it is on par with Kate Upton dumping Verlander for me.

[VA_Mountain_Bear]

For all of ya'll discussing how AB has been the best WR for 6 years, your missing one thing. That was with a single QB who had developed chemistry with him from his first TC on. There is no guarantee that he would instantly have that rapport and chemistry with Mitch right away, it is reasonable to assume it would take a year to get it down. That would be a year missing on developing what he has started building with Robinson, Miller, and Gabriel as AB would demand being the focus or else his tendencies to be a prima dona headcase would emerge. It is not a good idea for the Bears.

[Mikefive]

He's been the best WR in football for like 6 straight years now. Every year over 100 catches and a 1000 yards. If he was a POS like you guys claim, he wouldn't be producing like this. he works, he plays.

Most great WR are primadonnas outside of Jerry Rice.

How well did he "work" and "play" in week 17 this year, with a playoff spot on the line? He didn't. Why? Because he behaved like a petulant child and the coach sat him. Now maybe you think Mike Tomlin should've played him anyway, despite that he no-showed for practice. I don't know. But this is how he responded because the team recognized that his receiving partner was pretty darned good. Now put him on the Bears with Allen Robinson on the other side, who already has a relationship with Biscuit. If you don't think the team would side with AR12 by default, you're fooling yourself. And that's the exact same situation that he couldn't tolerate in Pittsburgh.

Why on earth would be Bears spend buttloads of $$$ on a 31-year old WR who may have already peaked to put themselves in the same situation that Pittsburgh found themselves in? And when the coach preaches "we, not me" what message would that send to the team to go after a guy who is so undeniably a me guy, it's ridiculous?

I believe you're really not thinking this through.

[GSH]

i dont want him on the bears but i sure as hell dont want him going to another team in the nfc north. could see the packers and lions making a play for him.

[MoFugger]

There's probably 27 teams this guy should be rumored to go to.
I have no idea why the Bears would be one of them.

[Boris13c]

I would be very disappointed if the Bears choose to upset the positive chemistry they are establishing with the team to add a selfish ingrate ... yes, Brown is a very talented WR but him adopting the Randi Moss "I play when I wanna play" mantra makes him a toxic addition

he quit on the Steelers last year because he wanted to pout and call attention to himself ... well, congrats ... he got attention ... the fact the blowback from that is mostly negative is his own doing

[KhalilSackDaddy]

I'd be stunned if they got A Brown. They got 4 guys last year they aren't going to be getting rid of and Brown wants to be the WR target, he won't take sharing.

[UOK]

Officially done. AB to Buffalo.

[UOK]

I lied. Bills just dropped out.

[Otis Day]

Bills came to their senses and realized they don't need that big distraction with their young QB.

[southdakbearfan]

It’s going to be interesting how the Steelers handle this if AB keeps killing trades. Do you keep him, try to make him play and when he goes psycho suspend? Do you go after him either legally or with the league for demanding a trade but then killing it if there is any recourse. Do you offer him up for a much later pick and tell the next team it’s your problem?

Buffalo would have been far to fitting for AB as it seems he is an even bigger clown than previously thought.

AB has a lot of the cards in his hand but he is playing this like he has the full deck. I think he is gonna get burned.

[Boris13c]

as talented as Brown is, he is nowhere near as important to a team, any team, as he thinks he is

and his diva factor accelerating by the hour is of no help to his seeking greener pastures :

Buffalo Bills no longer in Antonio Brown trade talks

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reports that after intense talks that went into last night, and almost agreeing on trade compensation, the Bills say they are out on a Brown trade, per a source informed of the situation.

The about-face comes hours after the Steelers appeared close to a deal to ship the disgruntled wide receiver to Buffalo.

"We inquired about Antonio Brown on Tuesday, and kept talks open with the Steelers," Bills GM Brandon Beane said in a statement. "We had positive discussions, but ultimately it didn't make sense for either side. As great a player as Antonio Brown is, we have moved on and our focus is on free agency."

Rapoport noted that Brown would not commit to showing up in Buffalo and the Bills decided a trade was not worth the drama of wondering if the receiver would accept the deal.

so he tells the Steelers "TRADE ME!" and goes on a twitter fest to say farewell to Pittsburgh ... so the Steelers accommodate him and find a trade partner, and he kills the deal by being a douche?

[Otis Day]

I keep the fucker and tell him no one wants you, you stupid bastard. Then I make him inactive every Sunday.

[southdakbearfan]

AB going all Brandon Marshall after a good long run in Pitt.

Over under on how many teams he is on over the next 4 seasons? I put it at 3, but the 3rd stop will be short and he will be out of the nfl.

[UOK]

I loathe players who are fussy on where they end up. The Bills don’t deserve this type of prejudice, especially when you’ve escalated the matter in the ungracious way ABhas.

[Umbali]

Personally I would love to see the Steelers suck it up and bench him.

He is trying to force a trade ( i think to SF or Oakland )

Is he good? Yes hell yes

does he have a HOF QB throwing to him? Yes....he also had a potential HOF RB helping with him not getting mugged every route.

It would be funny to see him with a shitty QB and a shitty RB and a mediorce line. I am sorry...that would be karma.

If he werent the tard he has shown himself to be I would have loved to see him here. Certainly not now.

[UOK]

Ian Rapoport @RapSheet
10m

The Antonio Brown saga is finally nearing a close. Sources say the #Steelers are dealing AB to the #Raiders in exchange for a third round pick and a fifth round pick in this 2019 draft. Brown will also get a reworked contract that makes him the NFL’s highest paid WR.

@AdamSchefter
5m

Raiders are adding money to Antonio Brown’s deal: He now will have three years worth $50.125 million - with incentives to go to $54.125 million, per source.

Where there was no guaranteed money there’s now $30.125 million guaranteed, per source.

[Funkster]

I loathe players who are fussy on where they end up. The Bills don’t deserve this type of prejudice, especially when you’ve escalated the matter in the ungracious way ABhas.

I think it’s kinda funny. In a league where teams almost always hold all the power and can move on from players with little penalties and how players always get bad mouthed for holding out or accused of not honoring their contracts. Many said he’s under contract he doesn’t have a choice, news flash he does, he can choose not to show up, essentially becoming a FA. For an elite player to force his value is just awesome and shows his business savvy. Think about it, he wanted a new contract and didn’t want to play for the Steelers or under Big Ben. He got a new contract, 30 million guaranteed (when he had 0) and gets to play with a new team while sticking the Steelers with a 21 million dollar dead cap hit...To quote 2 pac “do your thing boy, I ain’t mad at ya”! AB is laughing his way out of the berg all the way to the bank!

[The Marshall Plan]

I am really happy that the people who run the Raiders are not running the Bears.

They traded an elite pass rusher in the prime of his career, with an outstanding attitude, and got, for me anyway, a questionable amount of value back.

They then turn around and trade for a 30 year old WR with a questionable attitude and pay him $50M.

Why wouldn't they have just calmed down in the first place and pay Mack?

[southdakbearfan]

The raiders are the new Browns now that the browns seem to have at least gotten a little way out of their funk.

I can't believe anyone would give him additional money, let alone guaranteed money. Did they not just watch what AB did to his team that invested in him.

[Rusty Trombagent]

I loathe players who are fussy on where they end up. The Bills don’t deserve this type of prejudice, especially when you’ve escalated the matter in the ungracious way ABhas.

I think it’s kinda funny. In a league where teams almost always hold all the power and can move on from players with little penalties and how players always get bad mouthed for holding out or accused of not honoring their contracts. Many said he’s under contract he doesn’t have a choice, news flash he does, he can choose not to show up, essentially becoming a FA. For an elite player to force his value is just awesome and shows his business savvy. Think about it, he wanted a new contract and didn’t want to play for the Steelers or under Big Ben. He got a new contract, 30 million guaranteed (when he had 0) and gets to play with a new team while sticking the Steelers with a 21 million dollar dead cap hit...To quote 2 pac “do your thing boy, I ain’t mad at ya”! AB is laughing his way out of the berg all the way to the bank!

Hell yeah my brother, preach it.

As always I came here knowing exactly what the response was going to be. Anyone in here, if their coworker stole their stapler they'd go full Office Space on them, but Antonio Brown finally got completely got fed up with the RAPIST who goes on his radio program every week and calls out his teammates with the full blessing of the ownership, who on the record called the players on the team under Ben "CHILDREN"...

It will never cease to amaze me how inherently feudal we are as a society.

[Umbali]

This thought doesnt really fit into this thread even tho its tied to it. His status as highest paid will get surpassed quickly by Hill I would guess. At that point with the bar being 20 million per year, and QBs having their high ass cap hits, it sure takes a huge chunk out of the pile for the rest of the players.
That is what is so impressive about the Patriots. They dont do that. They sign em use and let em or trade them and keep making the right choices. Give me a list of high paid players who performed well for other teams when they left the Patriots. There are a few but not many.

I sure hope we can be smart about our developing players and not handicap our team by always signing record deals.