NFL Rumors: Seattle Seahawks Considered Signing Antonio Brown Before Picking Up Josh Gordon

The Seattle Seahawks made waves this week when they picked up Josh Gordon off the waiver wire, but the NFC West contender almost made a much bigger splash.

A new report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter claims that the Seahawks looked into signing controversial free agent Antonio Brown before ultimately pulling the trigger on Gordon. The report noted that the Seahawks did their due diligence on Brown, though it’s not clear whether the team came close to signing him. The report noted that Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson lobbied for the team to sign Brown before they ended up claiming Gordon.

The New England Patriots had released Gordon after he was taken off injured reserve, sending the talented, but troubled wide receiver to the waiver wire. He landed on the Seahawks when they were the highest team on the league’s waiver wire list put a claim on him.

Brown was cut by the New England Patriots in September after a series of off-the-field issues, then took to Twitter to slam the Patriots and say he was done playing in the NFL. The All-Pro wide receiver walked that back a few days later, saying that he was looking for another team.

There has reportedly not been much interest in Brown so far, as teams have stayed away from him despite his talent and past credentials. That may not be changing anytime soon, as his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said that teams have shown interest in signing Brown but not until the NFL’s investigation of him has concluded. The league is looking into claims from several women who accused Brown of misconduct, which could result in the wideout’s suspension when the investigation comes to an end.

The Seahawks’ move to pick up Gordon was not without some controversy. Gordon has been disciplined by the league several times, including multiple suspensions for violation the league’s substance abuse policy. As The Inquisitr noted, there were reports that Gordon had some recent behavioral issues as well, as he allegedly showed up late to some team meetings. The Patriots, who had reportedly been keeping close tabs on Gordon during his recovery to make sure he didn’t suffer a relapse, also had difficulty locating the receiver at times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgHPzfd4YOA

A total of 27 other NFL teams also passed on the chance at claiming Gordon off waivers, sending him to the Seahawks, who sat No. 28 on the waiver list. But the Seahawks are reportedly trying to be aggressive in building a strong offense around Wilson, and snagging Gordon could help cement their place as an NFC title contender.

As ESPN noted, the Seahawks could still consider signing Antonio Brown in the future.