Latest On Raiders, WR Antonio Brown

Update:

Ian Rapoport is reporting that the Raiders do not plan to have WR Antonio Brown available for Week 1’s game. However, it remains unclear whether they will suspend Brown or simply keep him inactive while he’s away from the team.

• Brown’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, tells Stacy Dales of NFL Media: “Not a lot is clear yet, other than the Raiders said AB should stay home today. We haven’t heard anything about a potential decision yet… We’re trying to work through this. The goal is to work everything out.“
• Rosenhaus explained that it’s still “our goal is to salvage this relationship” with the Raiders: “There is two sides to every story. My job is to bring everything back, try and get things worked out. Thats’ what I’m working on right now. … He says nothing is final.” (Ian Rapoport)
• Rosenhaus added: “I’m confident we can get back to doing all the right things that the Raiders signed him for … My hope is there isn’t a suspension and I’m not aware of any as of yet. I’m working with them to try to and avoid this scenario.” (Ian Rapoport)

Per Ian Rapoport, Raiders GM Mike Mayock gave the following statement regarding WR Antonio Brown: “Antonio Brown is not in the building today. He’s not going to be practicing. I don’t have any more information. When we do, I’ll get it to you. That’s it for today.”

According to Adam Schefter, the Raiders plan to suspend WR Antonio Brown. 

Schefter adds there are those around the league who believe the Raiders could suspend Brown to try and void the remaining $30.125 million in guarantees they owe the receiver in order to release him. 

Schefter says Brown and Raiders GM Mike Mayock “got into it” on Wednesday. Per Vic Tafur, Brown was unhappy with the $53,950 in fines the Raiders levied for Brown missing practices in August.

Brown posted the fine letter to social media on Wednesday and reportedly had an exchange with Mayock where he had to be held back by a couple of teammates. Ian Rapoport says the confrontation did not get physical, but after a screaming match Brown told Mayock he would hit him in the face, punted a ball, then said, “Fine me for that.”

Per Spotrac, Brown stands to lose $860,294 per week he’s suspended. Under the terms of the CBA, the Raiders can suspend Brown a maximum of four games. 

This is the latest chapter in a long-running saga of drama surrounding Brown this offseason. Brown lost multiple grievances this summer against the NFL petitioning to wear his old helmet that was deemed unsafe by the league and NFLPA.

He left the team multiple times during camp while sorting out that issue, along with a cryotherapy accident that resulted in frostbitten feet and kept him out of practice.

This isn’t the first run-in Brown has had with Mayock, either. The Raiders general manager issued an ultimatum on August 18 saying the team needed to know if Brown was “all in or all out.”

Brown, 31, is a former sixth-round pick of the Steelers back in 2010. He was in the third year of his five-year, $72.71 million contract when the Steelers traded him to the Raiders back in March. 

The Raiders later signed Brown to a new contract worth $50.125 million and includes $30.125 million guaranteed.  

In 2018, Brown appeared in 15 games for the Steelers and caught 104 passes for 1,297 yards and 15 touchdowns. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 26 receiver out of 117 qualifying players.