Antonio Brown is one of the best receivers in the NFL, but will someone take a chance on him?
It seems that Antonio Brown’s tenure with the Patriots is over after just one game.
On Friday, the Patriots released star wide receiver Antonio Brown. Following a short but rocky relationship with Oakland, his time began with New England on September 9th. The following day, Britney Taylor, his former trainer, filed a sexual assault lawsuit against him. Brown played in Week 2 since the NFL left him off the commissioner’s exempt list.
This week, Sports Illustrated released an article about a completely different woman who claims to have been sexually assaulted by Brown. The last straw for the Patriots was when, according to the woman’s lawyer, Brown provoked her with intimidating group text messages. The group includes Brown and several of his friends and associates. In the messages, Brown asks “Eric B,” who is assumed to be his friend, to “look up her background to see how broke this girl is.” A picture of the woman’s kids is also posted in the chat. The messages were sent to the NFL to be added to the ongoing investigation on Brown. The Patriots released Brown on Friday, refusing to tolerate his behavior.
It’s hard to imagine a team picking up a player who’s actively being investigated by the NFL, even when it’s the NFL’s best receiver over the last decade. I believe Antonio Brown could play another game this season, but I would bet against it. The NFL’s investigation will probably take weeks, and could take months. Even if the investigation is inconclusive and Brown signs with a new team, he’s a total wildcard. Over a span of a few months, he has frozen his foot, refused to wear a helmet, argued with team management and skipped practice. The end of Antonio Brown’s career isn’t outside the list of potential outcomes following the NFL’s investigation. Based on nothing but pure speculation, I think he will be suspended a minimum of six games and likely be required to enroll in a treatment program.
This is a big loss for the Patriots as a whole, both in terms of his skill and the money they owe him. It’s difficult to assess how much the Patriots owe him. They owe him at least $62,500 for his play in Week 2, but all other payments are questionable. His contract included a $9 million signing bonus, but that bonus technically hasn’t been paid yet. The most likely outcome is that New England will attempt to retract the guaranteed money, and the case will go to the courts. The Patriots’ salary cap situation is just as difficult to traverse. If they don’t get their guaranteed money back, they’ll owe $10.5 million over the next two years in dead cap. If they do win the case, they only take a hit of $5.75 million.
On the field, the Patriots are back to where they started in Week 1. Their wideout corps is fronted by Julian Edelman in the slot and Josh Gordon and Phillip Dorsett on the outside. James White figures to pick up right where he left off as one of the NFL’s premier receiving backs. The loss of Brown is by no means the end of dominance for New England.