Update: Antonio Brown has been released by the Oakland Raiders, according to a new report by The Inquisitr .
The Antonio Brown sweepstakes Part 2 could soon be starting.
On Thursday, The Inquisitr reported that the Oakland Raiders planned to suspend the Pro Bowl wide receiver after he got into a near-violent confrontation with general manager Mike Mayock. The team is remaining tight-lipped about the incident, with Mayock revealing little to reporters as he addressed them on Thursday.
“Antonio Brown is not in the building today,” Mayock said, via CBS Sports . “He’s not going to be practicing. I don’t have any more information. When we do, I’ll get it to you. That’s it for today.”
While Mayock revealed nothing other than Brown being gone, there are already widespread reports that the team may be looking to void Brown’s contract. As Albert Breer of NBC Sports reported on Twitter , Brown would default on his guarantees if the Raiders suspend him for conduct detrimental to the team, allowing the team to cut ties and making Brown a free agent once again.
That opens up the question of where Antonio Brown could land if the Raiders decide to give up on him and swallow the third- and fifth-round picks it took to land him from the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this year.
Here are some teams that could be interested in Antonio should the Raiders move forward with voiding his contract.
In addition to the suspension, the Raiders reportedly may look to void Antonio Brown’s contract.
More on the suspension: https://t.co/C1olDNO9HN More on Brown’s contract: https://t.co/gJsPBKRUBl pic.twitter.com/EkjZgqmjrl
— NBC Sports EDGE (@NBCSportsEdge) September 5, 2019
New England Patriots
Whenever there’s a talented-but-troubled player suddenly available in the NFL, the New England Patriots always seem to come up. Bill Belichick has a well-known penchant for buying low on difficult players and molding them into the “Patriot Way,” coaxing solid play and keeping the off-field distractions to a minimum.
The Patriots were already connected to Brown back when the Raiders were looking to trade him, and could still be looking for another weapon to make up for the loss of Rob Gronkowski, though Belichick may be tapped out on troubled receivers with Josh Gordon on his hands.
Green Bay Packers
As CBS Sports noted back when he was first available via trade, Brown would solve the ongoing problem of Packers receivers getting open and give quarterback Aaron Rodgers one of his most potent weapons ever.
“With Brown and Davante Adams on the team, Rodgers would have no excuse to have a bad season in 2019,” the report noted.
The Packers were among the teams close in the running to land Brown before he was dealt to the Raiders. Diana Russini of ESPN noted on Twitter that the Packers were one of the few teams willing to deal with the headaches that Brown brought. Whether they remain interested is not known.
It was tough to find teams that were in on Antonio Brown, one of those teams though…the Packers. Green Bay was interested and looking to make moves per sources.
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) March 8, 2019
San Francisco 49ers
Another team that was connected to Brown when he first went up on the trade block, the San Francisco 49ers could see a chance to offer an unexpected boost to their receiving corps and add a potent weapon opposite tight end George Kittle. The leading receiver for the Niners last year was Kendrick Bourne with all of 487 yards, so the thought of landing Brown could be intriguing.
Kittle already seems keen on playing with Brown, reaching out to do a little Twitter recruiting earlier this year after reports that Brown was on his way out of Pittsburgh last season.
— AB (@AB84) January 1, 2019
Arizona Cardinals
George Kittle wasn’t the only player trying to recruit Antonio Brown earlier this year as he was headed on the trade block. Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson also reached out to Brown on Twitter , telling the wide receiver to give him a call.
The Cardinals will likely be in the market for a new No. 1 receiver as Larry Fitzgerald’s career winds to a close, and Brown could benefit from playing alongside the steady Fitzgerald.