The Steelers have a restricted free agent wide receiver this year in Mike Wallace, and they’re scheduled to have a restricted free agent wide receiver next year in Antonio Brown
Asked on NBC SportsTalk about Wallace’s continuing contract negotiations and about Brown’s own status as a player heading into the final year of his contract, Brown said he thinks he’s going to go about things differently next year than Wallace has this year.
“I want to finish out my contract this year and hopefully next year will take care of itself, but I definitely plan on being here and going about things, maybe in a different aspect because I respect the organization and the program that I’m in,” Brown said.
Brown said he anticipates being able to get a deal done early next offseason and participating in Organized Team Activities in 2013.
“Whatever the organization’s got planned, I just feel like, I want to be a professional and go about my business the right way,” Brown said. “I don’t want to take time off and not be at OTAs. I want to be around. So hopefully we can get things wrapped up so I can take care of the business side of things and be here faithfully.”
It’s good news for the Steelers that Brown sounds so amenable to getting a deal done. Then again, it’s easier for Brown to say now that he’ll be happy to accept what the Steelers offer than it is to actually do the deal next year.
Here’s the video of Brown’s interview: