NFL Rumors: Antonio Brown, Draft, Bengals

Antonio Brown

Steelers WR Antonio Brown mentioned in a recent interview with ESPN that he doesn’t need the game of football or to prove anything to anyone.

“I don’t even have to play football if I don’t want. I don’t even need the game. I don’t need to prove nothing to anyone,” Brown told ESPN, via Pro Football Talk. “If they wanna play, they going to play by my rules. If not, I don’t need to play.  Obviously, I want the game, but I don’t need the game. It’s a difference.”

Brown again said he wasn’t to blame for the break in the relationship between him and QB Ben Roethlisberger.  He did say the two never became that close. 

“I would’ve liked for me and Ben to be cool. I thought we was cool,” Brown said. “When I think, I been to his house one time; he’s been to my house one time. We don’t work out in the offseason. It’s like, yo, if we really want to win, you think that’s winning? That’s not winning; that’s not winning culture.”

Pittsburgh is reportedly asking for a first-round pick in return for Brown, but teams have not been willing to meet that request.  Brown is due a $2.5 million roster bonus on March 17, which is seen at this point as a quasi-deadline for the Steelers. 

“Why wouldn’t they not trade me? They gotta pay me $2.5 million on March 17,” Brown said. “If I invoice you March 17, $2.5 million that you gotta pay me, would you pay it or would you get somebody else to pay it? So it’s what — pretty much what’s good for their business.”

Draft

• According to Lance Zierlein, Florida edge rusher Jachai Polite is likely to fall out of round one. When asked if he could be someone teams target in the latter portion of round one, Zierlein tweets: “Nope. Terrible interviews. Terrible workout. No chance.“
• Matt Miller got texts from five scouts about how bad Polite interviewed on top of bad workouts. One scout called Polite’s injury “bullshit” and Miller says his stock is taking a “massive tumble.“
• Zierlein says that FSU pass rusher Brian Burns could end up being a lock to go in round one if a team believes he can maintain 240 pounds and run and jump like he did at the Combine.
• Kentucky DB Lonnie Johnson said he met with the Panthers and has a formal with them tonight. (Marcel Louis-Jacques)
• Johnson mentioned that the Seahawks put him in a staring contest lasting “15, 16 seconds” during his formal interview with them and he managed to win. (Chase Goodbread)
• Clemson CB Trayvon Mullen had a formal meeting with the Falcons. (Erik Salby)

Bengals

• According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Cincinnati will hire former Tampa Bay DC Mark Duffner as a senior defensive assistant.  Duffner was previously the Bengals’ DC from 2001-2002.