NFL: Seahawks Inquired About Antonio Brown Before Claiming Josh Gordon
Through the last several weeks of the 2019 season, star wide receiver Antonio Brown has remained without a team. There hasn’t been any significant push towards him getting another shot towards returning to the NFL due to his off-the-field issues. However, it all nearly changed earlier this week as the Seahawk looked into the idea of possibly bringing him on board.
Antonio Brown’s ongoing situation
Since the New England Patriots decided to part ways with Brown, he has been out of the league as teams have been hesitant to bring him in.
The Pro Bowler had his time with the Patriots come to an abrupt end after another off-the-field incident involving sexual misconduct allegations had arisen. New England was unaware of the additional allegations against him that made it a simple choice for the team to step away from the talented wideout.
There was some reported internal pushback, but the Patriots decided to cut ties to avoid any lingering issues from coming about. In the time that has followed, Brown has remained on the open market as a free agent, but there hasn’t been any budding chatter that teams were interested in signing him.
All that changed this past week after the Seattle Seahawks picked up another former Pro Bowl wide receiver.
Seahawks elect to add Josh Gordon over Antonio Brown
The Patriots were in the headlines once again, involving another prominent wide receiver after deciding to part ways with Josh Gordon due to his struggles with injuries and inconsistent play.
Gordon’s availability on the waiver wire put him up for grabs for any team to take a chance on snagging him. The Seahawks were the only organization to place a claim on the star wideout, but before going that route, they looked into adding Brown, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Before they claimed wide receiver Josh Gordon on waivers Friday, the Seattle Seahawks had been doing their due diligence on free-agent receiver Antonio Brown, league sources told ESPN.
That effort even had All-Pro quarterback Russell Wilson pushing for Seattle to bring aboard Brown before they elected to put a claim on Gordon. But what may have held the Seahawks back was the ongoing process of the NFL’s investigation into the 31-year-old facing regarding sexual assault accusations from multiple women.
That alone could have been enough for the team to decide to add Gordon instead. He has had his struggles over the years with personal issues, but the Seahawks appear to be confident they can help him stay on track while believing he can be a significant piece in the puzzle on the field.
Light at the end of the tunnel for Antonio Brown?
Although the Seahawks decided to pass on the idea of adding Brown, it does show that teams are interested in his services.
The Pro Bowler is still one of the league’s most talented wideouts that can impact the game in a significant manner. It’s only coming down to him being under league investigation for his issues off the field that could land him with a lengthy suspension.
Once the NFL squares away that situation, there could be an active market for Brown to get back into the league. There is no question that teams still think highly of his talent on the field that now has had two of the game’s top quarterbacks in Wilson and Tom Brady vouch to add him to the mix.
Ultimately, all of this depends on the league’s ruling with their investigation. If things transpire positively for Brown, he could be back on the field at some point soon.
