The trade market for Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown is officially open, but it hasn’t garnered a wave of teams lining up to trade for the All-Pro. The wave has been more of a ripple with just three teams reaching out to the Steelers about a swap according to reports. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch both said they’re not one of the teams involved. Brown probably didn’t help his case with 49ers’ brass in a sit-down interview with ESPN.
San Francisco has been all about building a culture during the Shanahan-Lynch regime. That culture is why the team has continued to play close games and pull out wins late the last two seasons despite bad starts.
One portion of Brown’s interview was antithetical to a strong locker room culture that’s focused on winning football games.
“I don’t even have to play football if I don’t want, bro. I don’t even need the game,” he told ESPN’s Jeff Darlington. “I don’t need to prove nothing to anyone. If they want to play, they’re going to play by my rules. If not – I don’t need to play.”
That’s not something that’ll heat up the 49ers’ desire to acquire the seven-time Pro Bowler. Desire to play football and buy into what the team is doing are two things Shanahan and Lynch will prioritize when considering free agents and trade opportunities.
Brown did say he wants to play, but his seeming impartiality to doing everything possible to help a team win will ring loud in the 49ers’ facility.
“Obviously I want the game, but I don’t need the game. There’s a difference. I don’t need to play for no one. I’m happy. You see this? This is paid off. Cash. I don’t owe no one,” he said gesturing with his right hand. “I’m a millionaire, bro. I’m an entrepreneur. I don’t have to prove no one anything.”
There’s no denying Brown’s incredible talent. If he suits up for the 2019 season, a team is getting one of the two or three best receivers in the league. He’s a four-time All-Pro. He’s posted 100 receptions and 1,200 yards in six consecutive seasons. Last year he led the NFL with a career-high 15 receiving touchdowns.
The issue for the 49ers specifically arises when weighing the risk of dealing draft picks to the reward of landing a 31-year-old Brown. Pittsburgh surely won’t give him away for a late-round pick, and San Francisco still needs draft picks to add depth to a rebuilding roster. Brown would immediately be the best receiver on the team, but if he’s operating by his rules and not buying in to what the team wants to do, it could wind up doing more harm than good.
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