Wide receiver Antonio Brown is now an Oakland Raider after an eventful weekend. The Pittsburgh Steelers traded the disgruntled Brown to Jon Gruden and the Raiders for a third-round and fifth-round pick in next month’s draft. The deal was worked out two days after a trade with the Buffalo Bills was nixed after it became apparent Buffalo was not a preferred destination of Brown’s.
However, before the Raiders became Brown’s saving grace, both the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles were involved in talks with the Steelers shortly after the Bills’ trade fell apart, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.
On Friday morning, as news broke that the trade had crumbled, three teams reached out to inquire on Brown with the Steelers: the Eagles, Redskins and Raiders. In a considerably weakened market, Oakland’s offer was the strongest, and the Steelers and Raiders tentatively agreed to the parameters of the trade on Friday night. From there, the Steelers gave the Raiders permission to talk to Rosenhaus.
Oakland’s offer being the strongest doesn’t quite mean in compensation for the Steelers. As Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported, multiple teams were willing to offer the third and fifth-round picks, however, Oakland was willing to give Brown a new contract. Others were not, leaving the Raiders as the only true suitors.
Oakland’s deal gives Brown $30.125 million fully guaranteed and raises his total value to $50 million over three years — His previous deal was about $39 million over three years with the Steelers.
For the Redskins, their interest in Brown portrays their need for a true No. 1 wide receiver.
In 2018, Paul Richardson’s first season in Washington ended 20 receptions and 262 yards in seven games before he was placed on IR with a shoulder injury. Josh Doctson led all wide receivers last season with 44 receptions and 532 yards. No wide receiver finished with more than two touchdowns.
The group’s inability to create consistent separation and the struggles at quarterback starting with Alex Smith and passing through Colt McCoy, Mark Sanchez, and Josh Johnson made Washington’s passing game an eye sore.
As the Redskins appear to have figured a short-term solution at quarterback in the wake of Smith’s devastating leg injury — trading for Case Keenum — they still need a true No. 1 wide receiver.
Jamison Crowder is expected to test free agency and Maurice Harris is a restricted free agent, leaving the Redskins with a returning Richardson from injury and Doctson, who has struggled to make a huge impact in his first three seasons in the NFL. Trey Quinn and Cam Sims are currently on the roster, but both are inexperienced and coming off season-ending ankle injuries.
The Redskins currently have just under $13 million of cap space, according to Spotrac.com. Wide receiver is one of many roster needs for Washington and how they address those needs is more intriguing after missing out on Brown.
