The Buffalo Bills were close to acquiring star wide receiver Antonio Brown from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night, but discussions fell apart because he wouldn't commit to showing up in Buffalo:
From @gmfb: The #Bills neared a trade last night for WR Antonio Brown, who would not commit to showing up in Buffalo. The organization did speak with agent Drew Rosenhaus. This morning, Buffalo says they are out, amid uncertainty. Steelers are square one again. pic.twitter.com/d4suLfaVWP
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2019
Bill general manager Brandon Beane commented on the discussions, per ESPN's Adam Schefter:
“We inquired about Antonio Brown on Tuesday, and kept talks open with the Steelers. We had positive discussions, but ultimately it didn't make sense for either side. As great a player as Antonio Brown is, we have moved on and our focus is on free agency.”
Albert Breer of Monday Morning Quarterback confirmed that Brown made it “clear” he didn't want to go to Buffalo, and he went on to say that this nixed trade leaves Pittsburgh with “very few options left” for the stud wide receiver.
It had been reported that the Steelers were expected to complete a Brown trade by Friday, and that could certainly still happen. But with the market shrinking, there's no hard deadline Friday to get a deal done, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Free agency begins on March 13, while Brown has a $2.5 million roster bonus due on March 17. Pittsburgh would surely like to trade the disgruntled wide receiver by then, but as Rapoport notes, the franchise is back to square one.
Brown is an incredible player and a future Hall of Famer, but the Steelers are surely asking for a significant haul, and potential suitors have to be wary about the drama surrounding him.
Follow Us
Subscribe