While the Pittsburgh Steelers were once among the Super Bowl favorites this season, their campaign ended on a very sour note. Not only did they miss the playoffs, star wide receiver Antonio Brown was effectively benched in Week 17 and now a rift has grown between the league’s top receiver and the franchise. BetDSI Sportsbook has posted odds as to where Brown will be playing in Week 1 of the 2019 season:
Related: NFL Betting Guide
Antonio Brown team in Week 1 of 2019 regular season:
San Francisco 49ers +200
New York Jets +300
Buffalo Bills +450
Arizona Cardinals +500
Indianapolis Colts +600
Houston Texans +750
Cleveland Browns +1000
Oakland Raiders +1000
Chicago Bears +1000
Tennessee Titans +1500
Green Bay Packers +1500
Denver Broncos +1500
Pittsburgh Steelers +1500
Philadelphia Eagles +2000
Cincinnati Bengals +2000
Dallas Cowboys +2500
Washington Redskins +3000
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +3500
Seattle Seahawks +3500
Detroit Lions +4000
Atlanta Falcons +4000
Miami Dolphins +5000
Minnesota Vikings +5000
Baltimore Ravens +6000
New England Patriots +7000
Carolina Panthers +7000
Jacksonville Jaguars +10000
Kansas City Chiefs +15000
Los Angeles Rams +15000
New Orleans Saints +20000
Los Angeles Chargers +20000
New York Giants +30000
As you might notice, the Steelers are not favored and are tied for 10th in line. That’s because it appears that the relationship between Brown and the Steelers is irreparable.
It’s unclear exactly what happened in Week 17 when the Steelers were preparing for a must-win game but none of it looks good on Brown. We’ve heard everything from him lashing out at quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, to throwing a football at the feet of someone, to skipping out on meetings and walkthroughs. The most positive way the Steelers put it is that he did not communicate where he was and the Steelers had to make preparations assuming he wouldn’t play.
If this was the first time something like this happened, the two sides would sort things out. However, Brown had three incidents like this last season and ownership appears fed up. Owner Art Rooney II said he’s “disappointed where we are with A.B.” and that it’s “hard to envision” Brown being back with the Steelers. Brown went on a Twitter rant and dropped the Steelers from his social media bio.
Beyond that, Brown has communicated (via legendary receiver Jerry Rice) that he wants to play for the San Francisco 49ers. Considering the 49ers don’t really have a star wide receiver and they do have plenty of draft capital (high draft picks), it seems like a likely destination.
The Jets are also an interesting option as they have a young quarterback in Sam Darnold who needs help. The Jets might be willing to part with draft picks to speed up their rebuild. However, head coach Adam Gase had issues with DeVante Parker last season, who apparently was a bit of a diva, and he might not want to work with another in New York – especially since they already have a receiver in Robbie Anderson, who has been mired in some off-field issues.
Teams like the Buffalo Bills and Arizona Cardinals have the draft picks to make something happen as well as a gaping need at the position. At the same time, they are still a long ways away from contending, so would it really be wise to add someone like Brown to the mix right now? How much better will they actually be?
Teams like the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts would be intriguing fits as both teams made the playoffs this season and both teams are just a few pieces away from genuinely being contenders. Pairing Brown with Andrew Luck or Deshaun Watson would likely make either offense a top-five unit — especially since they already have electric receivers on the roster.
It’s hard to say where Brown will land right now but one thing looks for certain: the Steelers are planning to move on. They’ve had divas at the receiver position before with guys like Mike Wallace, Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes, and they had no problems letting them go and finding new studs. It looks like the same will happen with Brown.
