PFF Pounds Table for Broncos to Sign Enigmatic WR Antonio Brown

The Denver Broncos’ receiving corps was attractive to Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson, who approved a trade that sent him from Seattle to the Mile High City last month. With weapons like Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, Jerry Jeudy, and KJ Hamler, Wilson has already been working with his new teammates and has released private throwing sessions and workouts on social media.

But what if Broncos' GM George Paton continued to supplement the wideout position with a seven-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro? After all, the AFC West has become the most star-studded division in the NFL throughout the 2022 offseason.

On Monday, Pro Football Focus compiled a top-10 list of landing spots for impact players that remain on the league’s open market, and listed Denver as the best landing spot for wideout Antonio Brown. Here's what Brad Spielberger wrote:

“Russell Wilson attempted to recruit Brown to the Seattle Seahawks, and it’s possible that Seattle’s unwillingness to make the move — or at least similar moves over the years — played a minor role in Wilson's decision to waive his no-trade clause and join the Denver Broncos."

The 33-year-old Brown played seven games in 2021 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and caught 42 receptions for 545 yards and four touchdowns before literally quitting mid-game in the wake of going shirtless against the New York Jets at the end of the season. Brown later claimed that a disagreement regarding the team's treatment of an ankle injury led to the bizarre breakup with the Bucs, which was his fourth NFL team since entering the league with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2010.

While NFL fans are no stranger to Brown’s checkered past, which has resulted in viral interviews, tirades, and social media snafus, it isn’t a total stretch that Wilson may have wanted to give him another shot in Seattle. Just two seasons earlier in 2020, Wilson supported troubled receiver Josh Gordon, who was reinstated after multiple suspensions for violating the league’s performance-enhancing and substance-abuse policies.

Gordon ultimately fizzled out in his five games played in Seattle, but the opportunity showed that Wilson is all about second chances if it can help win football games. PFF already recognizes the Broncos have an embarrassment of riches at the receiver position describing ‘AB’ as the final addition in a divisional race that places Denver on top.

“Despite Brown joining a Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense already loaded with top-end weapons, his 90.3 receiving grade from 2020-21 ranked tied for fifth among wide receivers and his 2.40 yards per route run ranked seventh.”

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Brown was originally drafted in the sixth round back in 2010 to Pittsburgh out of Central Michigan. He spent nine seasons with the Steelers and caught 837 passes for 11,207 yards and 74 touchdowns, in addition to rushing for eight scores.

In 2019, Brown was traded to the then-Oakland Raiders where he would square off against Jon Gruden over a multitude of issues including his preferred helmet, frostbitten feet from cryotherapy, unexcused absences, missed practices, and verbal altercations with the GM Mike Mayock. Brown was consequently released in September before his 2019 salary became fully guaranteed and never played a down for the Silver and Black.

After his release, Brown appeared with the New England Patriots in just one game where he caught four passes for 56 yards and one touchdown with Tom Brady. During this time, allegations of sexual and personal misconduct were reported against Brown after he allegedly submitted intimidating text messages to one of his accusers that caused the Patriots to cut him.

Reunited with Brady in Tampa Bay one season later, Brown played in 15 games, catching 87 receptions for 1,028 yards and eight touchdowns, capturing his first World Championship in Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

All that being said, I don’t foresee Paton shocking the masses by signing Brown before the NFL draft, simply because the Broncos don’t need him right now. The Broncos are likely to bring in at least one receiver through the draft or in college free agency long before training camp.

But it should be noted that every summer, unforeseen and sometimes even season-ending injuries occur to star players, leaving teams scrambling for emergency fill-in options. Hamler is coming back from an injury, and Sutton will be monitored closely to ensure his continued comfortability and health from a previous ACL tear.

PFF projected a possible contract for Brown in Denver of $3 million for one year including incentives. Other potential fits listed include the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs.

Follow Luke on Twitter @LukePattersonLP.

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