Buccaneers Warming Up To Signing WR Antonio Brown?

Update:

According to Dianna Russini of ESPN, the Buccaneers are not interested in signing WR Antonio Brown, despite the earlier speculation. 

Greg Auman also reports that “nothing has changed with the Bucs and their lack of interest in signing Antonio Brown.”

---

Some buzz has been building connecting free-agent WR Antonio Brown to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Local radio host JT Brick and former NFL GM Michael Lombardi both connected Brown to the Buccaneers on Tuesday morning. 

The Athletic’s Greg Auman pointed out Buccaneers HC Bruce Arians was staunchly against signing Brown back in March, and Tampa Bay has since added fifth-round rookie WR Tyler Johnson.

“Yeah, it’s not gonna happen,” Arians said. “There’s no room. And probably not enough money. But it’s not gonna happen. It’s not a fit here.”

However, Lombardi suggested in an appearance on the “Pat McAfee Show” that there’s an ongoing effort inside the building to sway Arians to sign Brown. 

• Lombardi: “Watch Tampa Bay…I wouldn’t be surprised if Tampa Bay made another move.”
• McAfee: “Antonio Brown?”
• ML: “There you go. You can put two and two together. You’re like Sherlock Holmes.”
• PM: “…That conversation started early and Bruce was like, ‘Nah nah, not for me dog.”
• ML: “I’m thinking they’re chipping away.”

New Buccaneers QB Tom Brady connected with Brown right away during the receiver’s short and rocky stint with the Patriots last season and Brady has publicly advocated for Brown to get another shot to play, ideally with Brady.

Brown has mostly stayed under the radar after a turbulent 2019 and as a result some teams have started to consider him again. Both the Seahawks and Ravens were mentioned as having internal discussions about bringing Brown on board recently. 

However, Brown still likely faces a suspension from the NFL for a variety of legal issues, including an accusation of sexual assault. So it remains to be seen what his NFL future holds. 

Brown’s former agent, Drew Rosenhaus, conditionally terminated Brown in January after the slew of incidents finally became too much to handle. Brown most recently pled no contest to charges of battery relating to an incident with a moving truck driver. 

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. However, Oakland made the decision to release Brown before the start of the season and he later signed a one-year deal worth up to $15 million with the Patriots.

Brown lasted just 11 days in New England.  

In 2019, Brown appeared in one game for the Patriots and caught four passes for 56 yards receiving and one touchdown.

We’ll have more regarding Brown as the news is available.