By Jordan Long
The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking into trading their number 1 wide receiver, Antonio Brown. They are hoping to move him before March 13th, when the new league year starts. If he is still on the team on that date, Pittsburgh must pay Brown a roster bonus of $2.5 million. This also includes a cap hit of $21 million. One team who might be interested in acquiring him is the San Francisco 49ers.
This season the San Francisco wide receiver core was Pierre Garcon, Marquise Goodwin, and Trent Taylor. Garcon was the number 1 wide receiver but he lasted 8 games. He missed half the season dealing with a non-displaced fracture of the C5 pedicle in his neck. In the games Garcon played, he was productive with 24 catches for 286 yards and 1 touchdown. His average yards per catch was 11.9.
Goodwin lined up opposite of Garcon. He finished the season with 395 yards receiving and 4 touchdowns. The 49ers trusted Goodwin to make plays in the open field. Once he touched the ball, his speed made it difficult for defenders to bring him down. His average yards per catch was an impressive 17.2.
Taylor ended up taking Garcon’s spot in the lineup. He didn’t put up large numbers when he had his chance to shine. Taylor totaled 215 receiving yards and 1 touchdown.
The 49ers need to look into trading for Brown. According to UPI.com, former 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice said, “If you got a player like that, that you can get. That can really add to the offense of the San Francisco 49ers where you let those guys go play, I think you have to go for it.”
The 49ers have a need at wide receiver going into 2019. They don’t have a true number 1. Brown would fix that. Brown rarely drops the football when it is thrown to him and will make defenders miss. In his 9 years in the NFL, Brown has 11,207 receiving yards and 74 touchdowns. He makes the San Francisco 49ers’ offense more dangerous which should end up in more points on the scoreboard.
The tricky part about all this is his contract. Brown will make $22.165 million next year and $18.340 million in 2020, a lot of money to take on. Brown’s current contract also includes a team option for 2021 valued at $19.540 million. He won’t hit free agency until 2022.
San Francisco must find away to be an improved team on offense in 2019. It seems acquiring Brown will make that happen. It all depends on what Pittsburgh wants for him. If the price is right then make the move because Brown is one of the top receivers in the NFL today. }g.dvFr
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