It seemed inconceivable that the wide-receiver needy 49ers couldn’t put together an offer for former Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown that surpassed the third and fifth-round picks the Oakland Raiders gave up to acquire him. It turns out they were never even trying to bid. General manager John Lynch told KNBR 680 in San Francisco that the 49ers’ interest in Brown was swift.
There was never a question about whether Brown, even at Age 30, could produce in the 49ers’ offense. He is one of the NFL’s top pass catchers and would’ve fit nicely atop San Francisco’s depth chart.
Any question about the 49ers’ interest in Brown always had to do with off-field factors. The receiver had a rough offseason after finishing last year on the sideline in a must-win game after walking out of practice earlier in the week. His offseason continued with interviews and social media posts that were sure to drive away a team like San Francisco that is so set on establishing a strong locker room.
His contract was a concern as well. He made it clear he was going to need a new deal, and that may have pushed San Francisco away as well. Oakland wound up increasing the amount left on his three-year contract. They bumped him to $50.125 million with over $30 million in guarantees. Those aren’t the type of contract terms we’ve seen the 49ers willing to shell out.
It was pretty clear a Brown-49ers marriage wasn’t in the cards, and Lynch’s quick dismissal of the team’s pursuit of the receiver confirms that.
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