NFL Rumors: Steelers Agree To Trade Antonio Brown? Where The WR Could Play In 2019

It has been nearly two months since Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown was a healthy scratch in a must-win game thanks to a practice dispute. Since then, the Pro Bowler has been the subject of both trade rumors and off-the-field incidents.

The Brown saga took a significant turn on Tuesday. Brown tweeted a photo of himself with Steelers owner Art Rooney II, signaling that a long-awaited meeting between the two had taken place. According to Brown, the two of them “cleared the air” and “agreed that it is time to move on.”

ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter corroborated what Brown said. According to Schefter, several people were present, including Brown’s agent Drew Rosenhaus and Steelers GM Kevin Colbert. Ultimately, everyone involved agreed Brown should be traded.

This has been the expectation for some time, but Tuesday’s development made it more or less official. Even if the Steelers initially wanted to keep Brown in 2019 and beyond, the receiver repeatedly indicated on social media that he wanted out of the Steel City.

Brown tweeted a farewell message to Pittsburgh last week, which seemed like confirmation that he was on his way out. No trades have been reported yet.

Where will Brown play in 2019? He has often been linked to the San Francisco 49ers, to the point that recent betting odds placed the 49ers as the favorites to land him in a trade. San Francisco has cap space, a bit of draft capital and a desperate need for receiving talent. Brown has also talked about the 49ers on social media.

The Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers and New York Jets have also been suggested as teams that could use and afford Brown’s services.

Brown’s recent legal history could complicate matters and dramatically lessen his trade value. He was recently accused of domestic violence (police chose not to arrest him) and was found guilty of reckless driving after he did not show up to court.

Between that, the fact that Brown is 31 years old and his conduct at the end of the regular season, the Steelers might only get middling draft picks for him.