Just when the New York Jets and the football world thought Antonio Brown was off to the Buffalo Bills, the diva drama kicked in.
Come on, now; did you actually think the Antonio Brown trade would be executed smoothly?
With diva attitudes come complications. Of course, in this specific scenario, the veteran wide receiver may have nothing to do with the drama. It just feels so fittingly perfect.
On Thursday night, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that the Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills were closing in on a deal to send the “troubled one” to Orchard Park, New York. The New York Jets along with the rest of the football world figured it was imminent, considering Rapoport’s clean record of insider reporting.
Sources: The #Steelers are closing in on a deal to send star WR Antonio Brown to the Buffalo #Bills. There it is.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2019
Not so fast.
Shortly after the news broke, Brown, himself, commented on an Instagram post with the two words that spark so much outrage in today’s culture: “fake news.”
.@AB84 isn't having it pic.twitter.com/A8Lnl3aNj4
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 8, 2019
Now, Vic Carucci of Buffalo News is refuting the Rap Sheet’s report.
“No deal is imminent.”
It’s completely emblematic of what Antonio Brown’s recently represented. In recently and so boisterously announcing his new team must “play by his rules,” the confusion surrounding his next home is so laughably real.
Brown, who’ll turn 31 this summer, is most definitely a stud NFL wide receiver. Catching 104 balls for 1,297 yards and 15 scores in 2018, the vet is still a flat-out stud. More importantly, his salary (stripped of guaranteed money post-trade) represents a cheap, flexible option for his next employer.
Relenting a top-level draft asset is the issue for the Jets.
The level for which the Jets organization stands right now, it makes little sense. Antonio Brown represents a roster-completion move (like so many stud free agents in the league). At this moment, New York is still working on “building the house.”
Developing a young core through the NFL Draft is always the most important part of the football cake, the actual meat of the delicious dessert. The icing represents the overall coaching and executive power. It’s not until we arrive at the sprinkles (the extra special designs) is when mega-stud free agency should be discussed.
Antonio Brown represents the sprinkles. Mike Maccagnan and the New York Jets must first focus on the actual baking of the cake (the young nucleus via the NFL Draft) first.
Stay tuned; the highly-problematic wideout’s trade discussions are now dragging the entire football world into more unnecessary trade-rumor drama.
