By: Nick Galle
After not making the playoffs in the 2018-2019 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers are likely looking to shop Antonio Brown during the upcoming off-season.
The NFL superstar supposedly became frustrated with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger this season after the two had a slight verbal argument. Brown has also been seen lashing out on the sidelines at the coaching staff and other players.
Brown is undoubtedly one of the best wide receivers in the league, and the acquisition of a receiver with his skill level could put a variety of teams over the top. There have been some rumors as to where Pittsburgh will deal him, but nothing has been conclusive and there has yet to be a clear front runner to land the 30-year-old receiver.
Here are three locations where we think Antonio Brown could fit the best and where his talents could be utilized most effectively:
3) Arizona Cardinals
After going 3-13 last season, the Arizona Cardinals could certainly use more offensive firepower. With Josh Rosen set to be the quarterback for the future, the Cardinals might be able to have some success a few years down the road if they can add the correct pieces to surround Rosen. Antonio Brown would be one of those correct pieces.
If the Cardinals can make a trade for Brown while still maintaining the offensive weapons that are crucial for a successful future, then they might see themselves winning more than three games. We can’t forget that there were reports earlier on this year that Patrick Peterson wanted out of Arizona. It is not entirely impossible that the Cardinals put forward a deal involving Peterson in the hopes to get Brown. If they can add one of the best receivers of the league to go alongside Larry Fitzgerald and David Johnson, Josh Rosen’s could take a step in the right direction and develop smoothly for the years to come.
2) San Francisco 49ersG
Many are saying that Antonio Brown will be sent to the Bay Area, and it truly does make sense as to why he would thrive with the 49ers.
The 49ers were making strides in the right direction this past season with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. The young quarterback then tore his ACL early on in the season, causing the 49ers 2018-2019 campaign to take a turn for the worst.
With Garoppolo returning next season, there is definitely a lot more optimism in San Francisco than there has been in past years. The 49ers have talented pieces offensively such as Marquise Goodwin and George Kittle, so Brown would be a great addition to a young offense that could use some veteran direction. Matt Breida will only get better as time goes on, so the run game has the chance to be strong in the future as well. If the 49ers can work out a trade with the Steelers, look for the offense to be the 2nd strongest in the NFC West behind the Los Angeles Rams.
1) Dallas Cowboys
The chances of Antonio Brown ending up in Dallas are extremely slim, but it would be the perfect scenario for the disgruntled receiver.
There are so many factors that make Dallas the perfect place for Brown. For starters, Dallas has been looking to fill the void at receiver left by Dez Bryant, and they have yet to find the guy who fits that role. Although Dallas has seen production from receivers such as Cole Beasley, Allen Hurns, and Amari Cooper, but they have not found a superstar receiver that could play at Dez Bryant’s level. Brown could be the type of player to play at that level, and likely even exceed it.
Adding Brown would make Dak Prescott’s job significantly easier than it was this past season. The addition of Amari Cooper was a quality add, but adding Brown could put this Dallas team on a new level. If the Cowboys can put together an offense where Prescott has the choice to throw to Beasley, Hurns, Cooper, or Brown, they could essentially be unstoppable. In addition to the strong receiving core, it would disrespectful not to mention Ezekiel Elliott, one of the most talented running backs the league has to offer. Throw him into the mix and you have a team that likely wins the NFC East, gets back to the playoffs, and possibly even makes a deep playoff run to the conference game. Again, it is a stretch to say that the Cowboys will pursue Brown, and even if they do, they might not get him. If the Dallas front office can somehow pull it off, the sky is the limit for America’s team.
Cover photo via: Getty/Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire
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