Antonio Brown to return to Bucs on one-year deal

TAMPA, Fla. — The game was over, but there was one more score to be settled. Antonio Brown already had enjoyed his best performance of the season when the Bucs got the ball back with 2:24 remaining, leading the Atlanta Falcons 44-27 in January at Raymond James Stadium.

All Tampa Bay really needed to do was run the ball, melt the final minutes off the clock and finish the regular season finale with its fourth straight win and an 11-5 record.

But Brown, who already had a seasonhigh eight catches on the day, needed three more receptions to give him 45 for the year and trigger a $250,000 bonus.

That’s when Tom Brady called three consecutive shovel passes to Brown for gains of 3, 6 and 2 yards to pick up the final first down of the game. It also put a quarter-million dollars in Brown’s pocket.

That kind of loyalty shown by Brady to Brown is what prompted the mercurial receiver to agree Wednesday to a oneyear contract worth up to $6.5 million to return to the Bucs. The deal includes $3.5 million guaranteed and a $2 million signing bonus.

To create $4.69 million in salary-cap space, the Bucs restructured the contract of tight end Cameron Brate, who was scheduled to earn $6.5 million in 2021. Brate will receive a $2.425 million signing bonus and $1.075 million in 2021 with a team option for the final two years. Brate already had earned $250,000 in bonuses this year, so he is due to earn $3.75 million to remain with the team.