Report: Raiders Acquire Antonio Brown
Mar 9, 2019, 10:11 PM
(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
It appears the Antonio Brown has finally found a home he’s happy with.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk is reporting the Oakland Raiders have acquired Brown from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Brown appeared to be the first one to break the news through a tweet late Saturday night.
Antonio Brown is indeed bound for the Raiders.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 10, 2019
☠️☠️☠️ #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/ul6lIVk9dE
— Antonio Brown (@AB84) March 10, 2019
According to Ian Rapoport, the Raiders will be sending a 2019 third-round pick and a 2019 fifth-round pick to Pittsburgh in exchange for the the 30-year-old receiver. Florio is also reporting that Oakland will give Brown $50.125 million, a raise from the $38.925 million he was scheduled to make with the Steelers. The deal doesn’t add anymore years to Brown’s contract and will guarantee Brown $30.125 million over the next three years.
The Raiders have a need at the receiver position and Brown will fill the need. The Raiders scored 19 touchdowns through the air in 2018. Of those 19 touchdowns, nine were scored by receivers. No Oakland player finished with more than 70 receptions. Brown in 2018 finished with 108 receptions for 1,297 yards and 15 touchdowns on 168 targets.
In his eight seasons with Pittsburgh, Brown finished with 834 receptions, 11,207 yards, and 74 touchdowns. The Steelers have been shopping Brown after their relationship with the four-time All-Pro soured after Brown missed practice and their Week 17 game of 2018. Pittsburgh had a deal in place with Buffalo for Brown on Thursday but Brown refused to play with the Bills, causing the deal to fall through.
The deal can’t become official until Wednesday at the start of the new league year.