2019 NFL off-season thread

If they trade Brown to a team and he refuses to report to the next team and nothing in Brown’s contract says he that he cannot be traded to that team, is he in violation of his contract? Could the Steelers void his contract and remove his cap hit?

 

That is a good question. My guess is it will never get to that point because Brown is making enough noise to ruin the deal before it is finalized.

What the team can do is tell him they tried to accommodate his request for a trade and he is the one who ruined it, so now he is going to have to remain a Steeler and get over it.

I don't see any way Brown gets what he wants without the Steelers losing badly on the deal. Brown wants at least some control over where he goes and he wants the new team to renegotiate his contract. If Brown really did ruin a deal that was in place, it's time to shut down the trade talks, tell Brown he will remain a Steeler and call his bluff about retirement.

 

I believe it is on the Bills whether to go through with the deal or not, if Brown says he wouldn't report or submit to a physical beforehand. Once they sign the paperwork, he is their problem. They can try to include wording in the deal to protect themselves - IIRC, the Patriots and other teams often do trades that change the draft pick compensation depending on how long the acquired player stays on the roster, if he makes All-Pro teams, etc. (And famously, tons of players have kind of "boilerplate" language in their contracts for cash incentives they have zero chance of even coming close to, like offensive lineman that'll get $50,000 if they somehow win league MVP.)

 

That sounds right. The Steelers only recourse is to keep Brown and if he holds out, don't pay him. Too many people think this is the same as the Bell situation. It isn't. Brown is under contract and he's significantly older than Bell. If he sits out the season, he's still under contract and he's too old to be losing an entire year.

 

There is a worse outcome for the Steelers: Brown stays and half-asses it. So either you have Brown at 50 percent effectiveness or you bench him. He gets paid either way.

 

Don't forget the Sanch-ize.

 

He effectively scuttles his career with that move. Brown is too old to throw away an entire season that way. He either looks as if his skills are in drastic decline, which he won't want, or he admits he isn't giving full effort, in which case the Steelers can try to recoup their money.

 

Tomlin will Keyshawn him but not suspend him without pay.

 

Buffalo Bills no longer in Antonio Brown trade talks

The Bills are out on Brown and it seems clear that Brown himself sabotaged the trade. I don't think the Steelers have much choice but to keep him at this point and if he complains, they need to remind him what he did last night.

 

Everybody goes out of their way to help the Pats, then wonder how come the Pats keep beating them.