Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2021 Free Agent Profile: WR Antonio Brown
How much will wide receiver Antonio Brown command in free agency after a six touchdown comeback season? Will the Buccaneers be willing to match it? Or could Tampa Bay square Brown's contract away swiftly to keep him around before he can test the market?
Brown is one of the Buccaneers' two remaining free agent wide receivers entering the offseason, and has expressed an interest in returning to the team for a full season in 2021. The four-time All Pro receiver was one of many productive aspects of Tampa Bay's threatening passing offense during the Buccaneers' Super Bowl run.
To preview the Buccaneers' offseason, we're creating profiles for each impending free agent before the new league year begins. If provided, each player will have a market value projection included via Spotrac.com, along with arguments for and against a potential new contract.
Wide receiver Antonio Brown
2020 stats (including playoffs): 11 games, 52 receptions, 564 yards, six touchdowns
Previous contract: One year, $2.5 million, including $750k Super Bowl win bonus
Spotrac market value: N/A
Brown signed halfway through the 2020 season as a welcome addition to quarterback Tom Brady's arsenal of passing game weapons. He had previously been out of the NFL for over a year regarding several off-the-field incidences, including a civil sexual assault case which is set to be heard this December.
It took Brown some time to become acclimated within the Buccaneers offense, and although he scored a fair share of touchdowns, Brown didn't produce the same spark that he did during his days in Pittsburgh. Brown averaged 10.7 yards per catch during the regular season, the second-lowest mark of his career, only ahead of his rookie campaign.
Despite his late insertion and the rust he had to shake off, Brown finished tied for third on the team in receptions during the regular season.
Still, turning 33 this offseason and still facing questions beyond the gridiron, it would be tough to justify a large, long-term deal in Brown's favor at this point. That money would be better spent on fellow receiver Chris Godwin, who has been a loyal member of the Buccaneers offense for four seasons, turns 25 this month, and has scored 24 regular season touchdowns since his third-round selection in 2017.
The Buccaneers could also fill Brown's role with third-year receiver Scotty Miller, should Brown look elsewhere in free agency. The two had a similar snap-share between the outside and slot receiver positions, and Miller proved himself to be a useful deep threat on several occasions throughout the year.
If Brown were willing to sign a team-friendly contract in pursuit of Super Bowl contention for a consecutive season, he would be welcomed back much more graciously. It's hard to expect him to accept a salary under $2 million like his last deal, though.
