GLENDALE, ARIZONA – AUGUST 15: Wide receiver Antonio Brown #84 of the Oakland Raiders warms up before the NFL preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on August 15, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Antonio Brown era is over in Oakland before it even began, and now the New England Patriots are the favorites to scoop up the polarizing wide receiver.
Antonio Brown has dominated the sports news cycle with his multitude of drama with the Oakland Raiders, leading to his release from the organization Saturday morning in response to Brown demanding his release on Instagram.
Following the news of Brown’s release from the Raiders, SportsLine released the odds on what team could possibly take a chance and sign potential future Hall of Famer, with the New England Patriots as the odds on favorites.
Along with the Patriots, Sportsline also lists the San Francisco 49ers, the Green Bay Packers, and Arizona Cardinals among the favorites to sign Brown. It should go without saying that signing Brown is a high risk move given his recent track record in Pittsburgh with the Steelers and now with the Raiders, but has the potential to be a huge reward move if whomever signs him can keep him focused on football.
Regardless, Brown will not be unsigned for long. No matter how taxing his antics may be for teams to deal with, the potential to add a top five receiver in the league is too much to pass up.
New England has a history of taking on talented players in a buy-low scenario. A decade ago, head coach Bill Belichick sent a fourth-round pick to the Raiders for Randy Moss. That turned out alright. Just something to monitor as we head into the next stage of this unending melodrama.