The Pittsburgh Steelers have no choice but to move on from Antonio Brown, and Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey wants him on his team.
On Tuesday morning, the situation between the Pittsburgh Steelers and superstar wide receiver Antonio Brown officially went nuclear.
Brown took to Twitter and said goodbye to Steeler Nation after nine years that included seven 1,000-yard campaigns along with seven Pro Bowls and five First-Team All-Pro teams.
Now on the brink of being shopped — the Steelers can’t trade him until the new league year which begins March 13 — Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey is hoping to bring him to Florida.
Ramsey is undoubtedly frustrated with the offense’s inability to move the ball or score points in Jacksonville. Bringing Brown into the fold would immediately upgrade a wide receiving corps that has Marqise Lee, Dede Westbrook, Donte Moncrief and Keelan Cole.
Still, acquiring Brown isn’t going to be simple. Jacksonville holds the seventh-overall pick in the NFL Draft, but would general manager Dave Caldwell be willing to include that in a trade package? If not, the Steelers would be looking for deals that included a first-day selection among other assets.
Additionally, the Jaguars don’t have cap space. With the cap projected to be around $190 million this upcoming season, Jacksonville is actually $4.3 million over the threshold. Now, Caldwell can clear space by jettisoning $21.5 million by releasing defensive linemen Malik Jackson and Marcell Dareus, but Brown would still be pricey to acquire.
While landing Brown on what amounts to a three-year, $39 million deal would be a great move on the surface, there are other concerns to consider. At 31 years old in July, how many great years does Brown have left? Furthermore, who is the quarterback? Blake Bortles is likely getting released. Are the Jaguars drafting Dwayne Haskins or Kyler Murray? Are they smitten with Nick Foles or another free agent? If Caldwell traded for Brown, would he be satisfied with the situation?
All questions worth watching in the near future.