What Can the Steelers Expect If They End Up Trading Antonio Brown?

Last season the Dallas Cowboys gave up a first round pick for Amari Cooper from the Oakland Raiders, a good player, maybe a game-changer, but he’s not Antonio Brown.

With that and the electric play that Brown brings when he’s dominating the game, using a bonus at drag to use him in weekly fantasy football to dominate, you can see why the Steelers had better not allow him to leave the organization without a LOT of compensation.

The first thing the Steelers should try to do is figure out a way to work out this mess.

Brown’s entire career has been with the Steelers, and his contract is such that it’s a good deal for the team in terms of him being set to earn $39 mill over the next three seasons.

Compare that to some of the top NFL wide outs, who can earn up to $18 mil per season, it would behoove the Steelers to find a way to keep Brown, get whatever happened that last week of the season figured out, and get everyone on the same page.

IF the Steelers decide they can’t do that and do end up dealing him, they can’t let him go without no less than a first and second round pick, with hopefully both of those being in 2019 to rebuild this team that will now have lost both Le’Veon Bell and Brown.

Reports say that trade talks are expected to begin at the NFL combine, and the team is not going to move quickly on this, as they have to let the league’s new year start and then they will be able to start talking to teams about what it would take to get Brown in the fold on another team.

What teams would have interest in Brown? Well, it’s pretty easy to see what clubs around the NFL need wide out help – they include the Seahawks, Colts, Saints, 49ers, Packers, and Eagles.

The smart thing would be for the Steelers to not even engage in chat with teams in the AFC, but again it’s all going to come down to what team is willing to give them the package they want to make the move.

Look for plenty more drama in this mess as the offeseason keeps going, but in the end, the Steelers need to get what they want to make this deal smart for them, as well as for the future of the franchise.