Oakland Raiders: What can we expect from Antonio Brown in 2019?

Antonio Brown was at the top of the sport in Pittsburgh, but after a messy and public divorce, he now finds himself in uncharted territory. The Oakland Raiders are full of instability. What can we expect from Brown in 2019?

It wasn’t too long ago that Antonio Brown was thought of as the fun-loving, outgoing, best wide receiver in the NFL. The latter point may still stand, but Brown is now considered a locker room cancer who will need to prove he can adapt to a new group of teammates.

This offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers had their hand forced and dealt Brown away to the Oakland Raiders for a middling return. Pittsburgh is trying to compete for the postseason this year, yet it still felt obligated to get Brown out of town thanks to the disruption he created.

Disgruntled players are not new to the NFL. Diva wide receivers aren’t new either. Brown isn’t treading new ground, but there remains a very real question of whether he can be a net positive to his new ball club. The Raiders are not expected to compete at the same level as the Steelers, at least not this first season. Where does that leave Antonio Brown’s role, and what can be expected from him in 2019?

Two brothers from New York, Dan Salem and Todd Salem, debate Antonio Brown in today’s NFL Sports Debate.

Todd Salem:

When Brown is off the field, he is a disruptive force. However, he is similarly disruptive to defenses when he’s on the field. He immediately becomes Oakland’s top weapon. There is a lower bar on this roster than there would be on some, but Brown would be the top option on nearly every offense in the NFL. What comes with Brown are expectations. We expect him to excel but aren’t sure how much of his past success was due to being a part of a fluid, high-octane offense led by a future Hall of Fame quarterback. He will have none of that support here.

Most would figure Brown’s production will dip as he moves from Pittsburgh and Ben Roethlisberger to Oakland and Derek Carr. But can he be an overall positive force for the Raiders regardless?

Though the trade package to acquire him was small, the risk is still great. The team took a chance on bringing Brown into the locker room of an inexperienced team with an inconsistent quarterback. Could he derail the growth of young players; could he destroy Carr’s confidence with his antics?

Brown attempted to knock former teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster this spring. He also seemed to consistently undermine Roethlisberger’s leadership and that of the front office. Who knows how he will gel with a legitimately worse group of players around him.

Of course, there’s no reason to think that skill level has anything to do with Brown’s antics. He didn’t mesh with and apparently didn’t like Roethlisberger as a person. He tried to knock Smith-Schuster down a peg only after the latter was voted team MVP over Brown. These issues all seem personal with Brown and have nothing to do with teammates failing to live up to some kind of level of play. In fact, Brown himself was the one who let teammates down in Pittsburgh.

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The real shortcoming of Brown in Oakland may be that his squad just won’t be very good and plays in a very talented division. With rookies and second-year pieces sprinkled across the projected starting lineup of both sides of the ball, the Raiders feel at least another year away. And that’s if Carr is the franchise passer everyone wants to make him. If he can’t come through with Brown in tow, it may be time to look elsewhere, which would start an entirely new reset. None of that will be Brown’s fault.

Dan Salem:

It’s important to note that Antonio Brown was not the only player looking to get out of Pittsburgh. The Steelers have been notoriously stingy with everyone not named Big Ben when it comes to money. They’ve also supported their quarterback to a fault, in my opinion. He’s a great player, but nothing makes me think he’s a good person or good teammate. Brown’s desire to leave before his career enters the twilight faze was smart, all be it ego driven and controversial. He got his wish and now finds himself on a rebuilding franchise.

The positives for Brown in Oakland are obvious. Jon Gruden is an offensive guy who wants nothing more than to get his star wide receiver the football. Carr is playing for his job and wants nothing more than to create a dynamic duo with Brown and return to his prior peak success.

The Raiders themselves have low expectations because their division is so strong. Everything about Brown’s arrival equals a fresh start. He can steer the ship however he sees fit in terms of perception and performance.

Consider me a Carr believer. He was too good for multiple seasons for me to believe he is now washed up. Giving him Brown will determine which side he falls. I believe Carr has a tremendous season, mainly because he has Brown to throw to and because he’s playing for his job. Brown has no competition in terms of targets and is no stranger to double teams. The Raiders will be at least average after an active offseason. Brown will get his.

A happy Antonio Brown equals success in Oakland. He’s never shied away from speaking his mind and I consider that a positive. The Steelers have a “shut up and play” mentality. It’s old school and hardly applies to today’s landscape. Brown is active on social media.

He’s going to talk. If the Raiders are bad, he’ll likely be vocal about it. As he should. No one wants to play for a loser. I don’t see an issue here. I see a future Hall of Fame player who can start fresh for a team that loves personality.