The NFL investigation into Antonio Brown is expected to be resolved by the end of October, which could make the days leading up to the trade deadline even wilder than they are already expected to be.
The Bengals seem reluctant to trade AJ Green, and in no way are the Vikings going to trade Stefon Diggs – who just had an all-time game against the Eagles. Even the Broncos will now be reluctant to trade Emmanuel Sanders, as Denver has climbed back into playoff contention.
That leaves Brown, a free agent, as the best wide receiver on the market.
Brown desperately wants to make up with the Patriots, and a reunion likely would have already taken place if Brown didn’t tweet about owner Robert Kraft two days after he was released by New England. The Patriots released Brown on a Friday a month ago, mostly because the temperature in the room was far too hot – even for an organization used to weathering controversy.
Adding to the Pats drama is that sports radio personality Dan Sileo reported last week that Brown’s agent Drew Rosenhaus was set to meet with Kraft in Foxboro last Friday. It’s unclear as to whether or not there’s any merit to Sileo’s report.
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The Eagles are a team desperate for a jolt of energy after this past Sunday’s loss to the Vikings. Howie Roseman will make a move at the deadline, but he may have to make multiple moves if the Eagles want to climb back into the upper-tier of the league. A new member of the secondary will be the first priority, but the Eagles could also bring in Brown on the cheap.
The Eagles were reportedly interested in trading for Brown as far back as March, so there will be some level of interest if and when the league wraps up its investigation of the star receiver.
The Bills are another team that could look to land Brown, as they nearly pulled off a trade with the Steelers earlier this summer. Brown scoffed at going to Buffalo, but at this point he would sign with the Dolphins or Redskins if it meant a return to the NFL.
Finally, the Colts are a team that will be looking for upgrades at several key spots in the coming weeks. Indianapolis general manger Chris Ballard has done a remarkable job managing the Colts’ cap situation as the team has the most available funds in the league. Indy is expected to make multiple moves in the coming weeks as they make their playoff push.
All things considered, Brown will play in the league again. It’s just a matter of when and which team. The timing of the league wrapping up its investigation will make all the difference.
