“Offers” And Antonio Brown
April 5th, 2021
What does “offers” mean?
One reason Joe has the creator, curator and overall guru of Pro Football Talk, the great Mike Florio, at the top of his bookmarks is how refreshing Florio’s analysis is.
Florio, who owned a law firm until NBC made it worth his while to shutter the place and instead cover the NFL for a living, comes at subjects from a legal background. And let’s face it, so much of the NFL off-the-field is all about business. And business is contracts, which often means legal counsel is heavily involved.
Last week Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians said about Antonio Brown that “offers out there,” when asked for the status of negotiations with the furniture-hurling, bicycle-throwing receiver. This piqued Florio’s interest.
Joe took Arians’ words to mean the Bucs have offers to several wide receivers; the first one to put pen to paper has a job.
The Bucs are looking to go for two. Right? They can’t put everything on hold for a guy many teams won’t touch because of his shady background, both present and past. And you really don’t know if Brown will ever re-sign.
Florio took Arians’ words differently. Florio believes the Bucs made multiple offers to Brown specifically. For example: a one-year deal, a two-year deal, a three-year deal, various types of incentives or bonus money, a contract with team options or an out clause for Brown, etc.
“‘Yeah, we’ve got offers out there,'” Florio thinks Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht is effectively saying to Brown. “‘You let us know what you want to do. You pick what’s on the menu but the menu is what the menu is.'”
This is fascinating to Joe. Are the Bucs really putting all their proverbial Easter eggs in one basket in order to get Brown to come back? Either Brown returns or the Bucs go to battle with the [stacked] receivers they already have?
The Bucs could still go get a backup receiver currently knocking on doors looking for work at a helluva good price, with cash left over maybe to add depth at edge rusher or corner or maybe a proven gunner on special teams.
It’s a buyer’s market for Brown right now, yes. But the guy isn’t going to play for dishwasher wages.
April 5th, 2021 at 5:34 am
Brown scored a TD in a Bucs Super Bowl win. He scored when we needed it against Washington. It baffles me how only 60% of fans on here say they want him and how some media folks on this here site, say he’s a bonus or luxury and seem indifferent. I understand off field hesitations, but the guy proved exactly what he was supposed to in half a season. I think he’s the best receiver on the team if we get him another year. He’s really an incredible WR and trains his ass off. This guy is the real deal.
April 5th, 2021 at 6:18 am
Clean- I can only speak for myself on this one when I say, “At what price?”
There’s no question about AB’s talent or contributions. He is a HOF-caliber WR. You do what you can, within your means, to retain him. But…
Anyway, did anyone think we would be returning all the FAs we have already in the 1st place?!
April 5th, 2021 at 6:20 am
Easyyyy. If you’re referring to the 60% from the poll last week, keep in mind only 16% were a flat no. The rest of us are either not sure or depends, and it has to do with the off-field stuff you “understand,” weighed with the price.
Giving AB dead cap money to absorb cost or guaranteed anything beyond the vet minimum would not be wise. Giving him many incentives and per game roster bonuses (I.e. those voided if suspended) would. So if Licht can get him at a favorable cost and structure we agree. If Licht has to pay more than say 3 mil for him, the risk creeps in quickly.
Past performance is not always an accurate indicator of future results. Especially when you’ll be a 33-yr old WR in legal trouble.
April 5th, 2021 at 6:42 am
Here’s a guy who alienated his QB in Pittsburgh, almost came to blows with his GM in Oakland/Vegas, and was suspended after one game in New England for following the advice of the brain behind his zipper instead of the one between his ears—albeit the latter’s decision making prowess is also debatable.
Yet, when he came here he held it together for half a season.
With that, I agree with CleanHouse. He is truly a great wide receiver.
Initially, I was against the signing but was proven wrong when he acted and performed admirably during his abbreviated stint with the Bucs.
Yeah, there might be a heard of WR’s waiting to ink with the Bucs, but none of them can hold a candle to AB.
Supposedly, we’re an innocent until proven guilty country. If Brown is found guilty, wave goodbye and move on. If not, he will play a big role in the run for two in early 22.
I don’t have an inkling on what goes through AB’s mind. I sometimes wonder if he does. I do know, however, that the Bucs are a better team with a well behaved AB.
April 5th, 2021 at 7:04 am
Brown’s inability to get a $5M+ guaranteed offer – despite showing on the field last year that he’s still pretty damn good and worth more than that – is a direct reflection of his past behavior.
Its not so much the pending civil suit as it is the FACT that he became a big problem for Pittsburgh to deal with – then went to the Raiders and went scorched earth on them – then got kicked off the Patriots squad as well.
Strike 3. And even then – he still wasn’t acting like he “understood” (or even cared) what the “problem” was…. referencing the bicycle throwing incident just before getting his ‘last chance’ with the Bucs.
That long and documented history of ‘behavioral issues’ has all but maybe a couple teams not even willing to bring Brown into their locker room for the vet minimum – much less millions guaranteed.
Brown will very likely be back with the Bucs in 2021. This is the best place for him and no other team is going to offer him substantially more $ than we have anyway….. Its just taking time for AB to accept that I believe.
April 5th, 2021 at 7:06 am
CleanHouse, I think you are being a little unfair.
I am going with BucsFanMan entire response, but especially:
“…Anyway, did anyone think we would be returning all the FAs we have already in the 1st place?!…”
Licht has went beyond my expectations. As JL said, no player gave a “home team” discount. I am sure the offer out there to AB is more than fair. With the way AB behaved last year, the Bucs would be crazy not to want him back; in fact, as Leighroy points out, 84% want him back. So be a little patient
April 5th, 2021 at 7:15 am
I heard Seattle wants to add AB and Marquis Colston to the Wilson supporting cast. If that happens, NOW who would have the best WR core in the NFC? There is only one man that can dictate what happens with this guy and that TB12. If he feels AB is slipping back into his premadona role he will cut him lose. Is Tate still out there?
April 5th, 2021 at 7:54 am
Clean… AB is a very good receiver. No one is arguing that. But the best on the team? I don’t think so. I prefer Godwin and Evans. We won playoff games without him, and he isn’t indispensable. And if he didn’t have a court date on the docket, with more potential NFL discipline over his head, I’d say give him a pretty big two year deal to coincide with Brady’s. But he is a risk…a risk that must be carefully measured.
April 5th, 2021 at 7:58 am
But List…what is he starts raising a ruckus? And you lose the money as well in the deal that you could use to add talent to that position or some other. That is why to me, a contract with a relatively low base and a boatload of incentives is the answer. Things go well, he gets paid. They don’t, the team cuts him lose at the first sign of trouble, and use that cash elsewhere to shore up the team.
April 5th, 2021 at 8:04 am
Tate is still a free agent.
April 5th, 2021 at 8:07 am
So how much is an unstable drama queen worth? Too much baggage and instability. Too much negative risk despite his talent. If he comes in unhappy with his contract ???
April 5th, 2021 at 8:11 am
You could look at that poll another way……84% are unopposed to a Brown deal.
April 5th, 2021 at 8:22 am
The Bucs need to sign Godwin to a long term contract. Don’t want to see him play 1yr for 16 million and walk in 2022 leaving the Bucs with a third round comp pick. Instead I would sign Brown 3 years 16 million and trade Godwin for a first round draft pick.
April 5th, 2021 at 8:29 am
AB was a pleasant surprise to me last season. Impressive route running and a good teammate. But I am concerned that his attitude could go south quickly if he has no choice but to accept a lowball offer from the Bucs. I would rather do without AB than have a disgruntled AB.
April 5th, 2021 at 8:46 am
Tom Brady signed with the Bucs
Then he took yet another hard look at the Roster.
He didnt recruit any linemen.
He immediately recruited Brown, Gronk, and Fournette
That tells you his opinion of Godwin, Howard, and Jones.
I think Brown is waiting for Licht to
Free up more money.
April 5th, 2021 at 8:58 am
coach sanders said he resigned. SO this is a non-story Coach sanders is Bucs top insider. He called jpp, brady, and gronk and all this years resignings.
April 5th, 2021 at 9:00 am
I’m wondering what happens if we haven’t signed him by draft day
April 5th, 2021 at 9:17 am
I don’t get many Bucs fans. Antonio Brown is a supreme WR talent and showed *zero* behavioral issues as a Bucs teammate, in fact was a “work leader”…yet many dis him.
On the other hand, it’s clear Fournette had attitude issues, yet these same casual fans sorted wood over the thought of Fournette coming back.
The real question: what does Brady think of Brown, and does HE want Brown back?
I suspect there is much more to the story we don’t know. But from a talent perspective, Miller, Johnson and other lower WR’s can’t hold a candle to a future HoFer in Brown.
April 5th, 2021 at 9:19 am
Who is “coach Sanders?”
April 5th, 2021 at 9:25 am
I hope we sign AB. He is a problem for defenses and an example in the practice field. AB makes the wide receiver room better and keeps our young studs in a competitive mindset.
April 5th, 2021 at 9:46 am
trade cameron brate and bring back AB seems to be the wise move to me..
April 5th, 2021 at 10:03 am
SIGN AB!!!!!!
i think AB has a couple offers from the bucs…and he’ll sign 1 of them…
GO BUCS!!!!!
April 5th, 2021 at 10:27 am
Capt.Tim Says:
April 5th, 2021 at 8:46 am
Incorrect.
Brady and Gronk are buddies. Of course he wanted him to come back to play. Brady had looked at the roster before he signed. He also hadn’t started working out with guys yet when Gronk signed. So, that had nothing to do with his evaluation of the roster.
Brady had nothing to do with signing Fournette, by all accounts. Totally a call by the front office and HC.
Brown was signed as a buffer for injured starters.
April 5th, 2021 at 11:07 am
+1 windbaggery
And this post about sign AB for a 3 year deal and trade Godwin… nice troll job. Not sure what else you can call that idea
April 5th, 2021 at 11:27 am
CleanHouse Says
“Brown scored a TD in a Bucs Super Bowl win. He scored when we needed it against Washington. It baffles me how only 60% of fans on here say they want him and how some media folks on this here site, say he’s a bonus or luxury and seem indifferent.”
See now, to me, if you discount the playoffs, he had 1-2 good plays his entire time last year. So we’re supposed to pay him millions for a few post season games?
That makes no sense at all to me. He simply was not good last year, and the only reason he got stats in the playoffs is because Evans and Godwin were the threats teams focused on.
AB has a habit of acting unhappy when he is underpaid. Last year was different…no team was hiring him and the Bucs threw him a bone. This year, he feels he has proven himself and if he doesn’t get paid AND get the ball, he’ll more than likely go into his temper tantrums again.
We don’t need that, not at all. Not when there are WRs out there (or will be) who are just as good (or better) we can get.
April 5th, 2021 at 11:56 am
Its very telling of his character if he doesnt sign. Without Brady jackson would be a
.has been that no one wanted..you can change your colors but your still the same troibled soul
.i pray he works to be a good person and a great football player
Where ever he finds himself next season.
April 5th, 2021 at 12:22 pm
I took arians words also as if they had a few offers out to brown not others , joe always takes the lost negative way
April 5th, 2021 at 3:56 pm
Windbaggery
You would be correct, Brady made the Gronk call- before working with the team.
No way he could have formed opinions about the players, and what he felt were weaknesses.
Unless, somehow, he had the rare ability to Watch “film”!
It allows the “Viewer” to watch the Buccaneers, even if you are still in Boson!
Its like Magic!
Brady may have watched “film”, before he signed with the Bucs!
And, also magically, he deciphered what he needed, to Get to the Superbowl!
A WR, A 2nd great TE( Brate being the first, and the one Tom nagged to get on the field), and another Power back!
And it worked!
Aint Technology wonderful.
April 5th, 2021 at 5:25 pm
BuccaneerBonsai, if your analogy is correct then why sign Fournett? Also, did you watch the Atlanta game when he replaced Evan’s? There is NO way Brown is dropping 4 very catchable passes in a PO game, Bucs 16 million man did. Brown played 1 game in 2019 for NE, he had 5 receptions and a TD, leading receiver. 1 game!!! So basically he came to the Bucs in 2020 half way through the season after being on the couch since 2018. I’d say he’s pretty damn good, scratch that GREAT!
April 5th, 2021 at 7:12 pm
It bothers me at this point that even if he signs with the Bucs, if he feels he was under paid and should have been offer more would be a recipe for disaster
April 5th, 2021 at 10:04 pm
Are any of the other Buc’s receivers a 7 time first team all pro? wake up LICHT!
April 5th, 2021 at 11:00 pm
My guess is they can only afford to pay him pretty much the same thing as last year and offered him a two-year deal to do so.
I think they’re saying – there’s your menu, take it or leave it.
I would like him to come back but they can’t afford anything else. They’ll draft a receiver in the later rounds. There are definitely some speedsters in the later rounds that could make the team because of special teams