From one headache to another
Brown’s absence likely to generate as many problems as his presence
Cure one headache, attract another. That is the Steelers’ dilemma if they trade Antonio Brown.
If Brown returned without all his troubles, they would need little before next season to enhance their group of wide receivers because it would look like this:
Brown, JuJu SmithSchuster, James Washington, Ryan Switzer and whomever else they wanted to fill in, whether that be resigning one or two of their veteran free agents, drafting a receiver or both.
That’s a group that still could rank among the NFL’s best.
But trade Brown, and it blows one big hole through it. Now, instead of Smith-Schuster as the complement to Brown, he would have to be the man. Washington would have to develop a whole lot faster than he did as a rookie. And they would have to find someone to replace Brown.
Finding another Antonio Brown might be out of the question, but they would need to find a talented receiver somewhere, or else Smith-Schuster will be the one attracting all those double-teams. Think SteelersBengals Dec. 30, 2018, to refresh everyone’s memories. That was a game in which the Steelers saw what life could be like without Brown.
On that day, Eli Rogers, who will be an unrestricted free agent, led them with six receptions for 63 yards. Halfback Jaylen Samuels caught seven for 40. Smith-Schuster had five for 37. The lone bright spot for them at the position that day was Washington, who caught three for 64 yards and looked like the rookie receiver who showed so much promise in training camp and the preseason.
Without Brown, though, they need another good receiver, and that more than likely would have to come through the draft. Signing a free agent would be too costly, and there really aren’t any worth the price.
If they could reap a firstround draft choice for Brown in a trade, they would be armed with the collateral to draft a good one. That also would slingshot their group into the future by swapping a 31-year-old receiver for one a decade younger. It would make their top three receivers a rookie and those in their second and third seasons.
After the latest news about a domestic incident involving Brown, it’s hard to believe anyone would give the Steelers a first-round pick. They might have to settle for one much lower.
Without Brown but with a decent rookie, they can take on the look of the Young Money Crew again, as they did when Brown, Emmanuel Sanders and Mike Wallace were youngsters.
Smith-Schuster followed up a good rookie season by catching 111 passes, second in the AFC, for 1,426 yards, fifth in the NFL. Some of that came because defenses concentrated more on taking Brown out of the game. Although not quite up to his past standards, Brown caught 104 passes for 1,297 yards and led the league with 15 touchdown receptions.
Brown was voted to his seventh Pro Bowl but opted out, citing an injury. SmithSchuster, as a first-alternate, replaced him for that game.
Washington (16 catches, 217 yards) and Switzer (36 catches, 253 yards) should benefit in 2019 after their first full season with the Steelers.
Although not wide receivers, Steelers tight ends and halfbacks are heavily involved in the receiving game, and that should continue next season, particularly without Brown. Halfback James Conner (55 catches, 497 yards) and tight end Vance McDonald (50 catches, 610 yards) ranked third and fourth on the team in receptions.
So the state of the Steelers receivers takes on different possibilities as they enter free agency and the draft. If they trade Brown or just release him, they’ll need another good talent to replace him.
Although the Steelers might have reached the point of no return with Brown, there is little doubt that his absence would change the look of their offense in a major way.