Jaguars Given Odds to Sign Former Steelers Wide Receiver Antonio Brown
The saga of former All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown is a lengthy and well-documented one, but there is always a chance Brown lands with a team and plays at some point in 2020 in spite of it all. And according to one oddsmaker, the Jaguars should be considered an outside candidate to be that team.
In odds released by BetOnline, the Jaguars were given 10/1 odds to sign the former Pittsburgh Steelers, Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots wide receiver. This tied the Jaguars with the Indianapolis Colts for sixth-best odds, with the Green Bay Packers leading the way.
- Green Bay Packers 2/1
- Seattle Seahawks 5/2
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3/1
- Baltimore Ravens 4/1
- Philadelphia Eagles 15/2
- Indianapolis Colts 10/1
- Jacksonville Jaguars 10/1
- Chicago Bears 12/1
- Cincinnati Bengals 15/1
Brown is currently a free agent who is free to sign with any team. Last Friday, the NFL announced Brown has been suspended for the first eight games of the upcoming campaign for multiple violations of the league's personal conduct policy. The suspension will take place as of Sept. 5 and Brown is allowed to sign with any team and take part in any preseason activities prior to that date.
While there is uncertainty surrounding whether Brown actually lands on a team this season, BetOnline has given the Pro Bowler +110 (11/10) odds to play any games in 2020, while giving him -150 (2/3) odds to not play.
The NFL opened an investigation into Brown, 32, after a lawsuit was filed by his former trainer Britney Taylor in which she alleged that he sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions. In Septemeber 2019, Sports Illustrated released a story including a second account of sexual misconduct involving Brown, and Brown was eventually released by New England after just one game. Brown has denied the accusations.
In June, Brown pled no contest to charges related to a moving truck battery case from earlier this year.
It is hard to see the Jaguars have any interest in Brown for a myriad of reasons. First of all, we need to see the NFL even get past eight games in 2020 for Brown to even have a chance to see the field. The Jaguars need all the help they can get to win games in 2020, but they will likely want somebody who will be available for the entire season instead of just half of it.
That isn't even accounting for Brown's tendency to bring drama with him to his new teams in recent years. While Brown is one of the best wide receivers of his generation, and even potentially has a Pro Football Hall of Fame resume, the Jaguars dealt with their fair share of drama last season and one can presume they have had their fill of players creating headaches.
Lastly, the Jaguars already have a crowded receiver room with DJ Chark, Laviska Shenault, Chris Conley, Dede Westbrook and Keelan Cole. Brown is obviously a more accomplished option than others on this list, and his talent paired with Chark could be dangerous, but the Jaguars could stand to reason that wide receiver is one position they don't need to take a flier on at this point in the offseason.
Considering the lack of big names on Jacksonville's offense, it isn't totally surprising to see the Jaguars listed among the teams with odds to sign Brown, but that doesn't mean it would be any less of a shock if it actually happened.
