Antonio Brown has certainly not been a model locker room presence, but that shouldn’t hinder the San Francisco 49ers from trading for him.
It’s not every day that arguably the best receiver in the NFL becomes available in any regard, but especially via trade while still in his prime. Yet, that’s the situation that has evolved with current Pittsburgh Steelers wideout Antonio Brown. As of now, it’s become almost certain in terms of perception that the perennial All-Pro will be on another team to start the 2019 season.
As such, one of the big talking points, of course, has been about teams that could make a bid for Brown’s services by trying to make a trade with the Steelers. There is no shortage of teams that could use a player of his caliber on offense, but some fits are better than others. And one such fit seems to be gaining steam: The San Francisco 49ers.
Coming off a 2018 season that went awry when Jimmy Garoppolo tore his ACL, the 49ers have high hopes to keep building something special around the quarterback in San Francisco. However, they are still in dire need of offensive weapons for that to happen. They lack a bonafide No. 1 option at receiver, a hole Brown would easily fill.
And, for what it’s worth, Brown appears all-in on the notion of heading to San Francisco, posting the following on Instagram in the week leading up to the Pro Bowl:
Now, that’s not an outright cry of “trade me to the San Francisco 49ers” from Brown. However, with all of the buzz circling the connection between team and player, it’s most definitely a noteworthy addition to the narrative.
In terms of what he can do on the field, there’s no question that Brown would be a boom for the 49ers offense. Adding a player with his dynamic skill-set to a Kyle Shanahan offense and with complements like Jerick McKinnon — also returning in 2019 from a torn ACL — Marquise Goodwin, Dante Pettis and more would be huge for this offense. His run as one of the NFL’s top pass-catchers would likely be strengthened with a move to San Francisco.
Having said that, the situation with Brown in Pittsburgh raises questions about what adding him would mean off the field. A report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler states that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin merely “tolerated” Brown and a wide array of disruptive behavior and fraught relationships because of his on-field ability.
There’s no doubt that Brown has established himself as having a big personality that can be tough to deal with, both as an organization and in regards to teammates. Thus, the 49ers would have to weigh whether or not adding that to a young locker room would be worth it. After all, an exceedingly negative presence in that manner could be hugely detrimental to their optimistic future.
Weighing that risk, however, the 49ers shouldn’t waver in regards to trying to trade for Antonio Brown. Not only is there a hope that a new team and new culture could change the receiver’s behavior for the better, but what he can provide on the field is so substantial that it means more than the off-field fodder. After all, there’s a reason that Tomlin has tolerated him for this long.
Obviously any trade has to come at the right cost for the San Francisco 49ers. If they are asked to give up a king’s ransom for Brown, then they should be hesitant. But on a cut-and-dry level of should they worry about making the trade because of the off-field trouble, the answer is a definitive no. Few players are worth that risk, but Brown is one of them.