After a false alarm on Thursday that said that Antonio Brown was to be traded to the Buffalo Bills, he was then traded at around midnight to the Oakland Raiders. The Pittsburgh Steelers get a 3rd round pick and a 5th round pick this year. Today, we will break down this trade, and point out some key winners and losers.
Winners
Antonio Brown
At the end of the day, Brown got to go where he wanted: anywhere but the Steelers. He will now take his talents to the Bay Area and join the Raiders. He will be the number one receiver on a team that will have to throw the ball a lot. Additionally, he received a 3 year, 54.25 million dollar deal upon being traded that made him the highest paid receiver in the league.
Jon Gruden
Wow. Talk about redemption. After making absolutely head scratching moves like trading Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper away, Gruden has redeemed himself. He absolutely robbed the Steelers of the best wide receiver in the league, and gave just two mid round picks. Maybe, we were too quick to assume things about Gruden and he knew what he was doing. For all we know, Lev'eon Bell could also be making his way out west come offseason.
Derek Carr
For most of last season, Carr's number one wideout was 32 year old Jordy Nelson. Throughout his career, he has had to play with shaky Amari Cooper as his go to option. Now, he gets a bonafide superstar in Brown that causes nightmares for opposing defenders. If the Raiders resign Jared Cook, and/or draft a receiver(DK Metcalf), the Raiders would have a strong receiving corps.
Losers
The Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers managed to make a big mess out of the best receiver in football. They now have lost their two best players(assuming Lev'eon Bell leaves) and have a 37 year old at quarterback. They also have to pay 21 million dollars in dead money after trading Brown. What is most surprising is the compensation for Brown. A third and a fifth round pick are literally nothing. The Steelers traded Martavis Bryant last year to Oakland for a third. Amari Cooper was worth a first. Surely, Pittsburgh could have at least gotten a second round pick.
AFC West Cornerbacks
This applies especially for the Denver Broncos. Now, they have to play Keenan Allen, Antonio Brown, and Tyreek Hill twice a year. Brown led the league in touchdowns last season, and is sure to burn the tops off of entire defenses next year.
Trade Grades
Oakland Raiders - A
They got the best wide receiver in the league for practically nothing.
Pittsburgh Steelers - C
While they did lose their best player for scraps, at least their locker room issues will be solved. They also will be able to unleash JuJu Smith-Schuster's full potential.
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