The NFL in 2020 quickly has become divided into haves and have nots. One of the haves could soon have a pretty good receiver on the roster.
Antonio Brown will be eligible to practice and play in only two weeks.
Punished with an eight-game suspension for multiple off-field issues but not entirely cleared for a sexual assault/rape lawsuit filed against him last year, Brown must sit out eight weeks (or, if signed by a team, eight games, which depending on bye weeks could be nine weeks).
If unsigned two weeks from now, Brown can ink a contract and immediately join a team.
It’s unclear whether and to what extent he’ll generate interest. The fact that he can already be signed but remains available suggests that the wait may continue beyond November 2.
Last year, the Saints brought him in for a visit late in the regular season. Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady reportedly has jostled for A.B., but head coach B.A. seemingly wants nothing to do with Brown, given the overlap of their time together in Pittsburgh.
The Seahawks have flirted with the idea of signing Brown in the past. They’ve reunited with Josh Gordon, who has yet to be cleared by the league to return after his latest substance-abuse suspension. Ravens players have expressed interest (possibly on a perfunctory basis), but the organization has shown none.
One contender that Brown has ruled out is the Bears. Brown recently told Deion Sanders that Brown isn’t interested because Nick Foles is the quarterback.
It’s strange for Brown to be picky, given that there’s hardly a land rush for his services. Soon, we’ll see whether anyone is willing to join forces with a player who was a great receiver through 2018 before instantly becoming a stream of headaches and problems and distractions for the Steelers and then the Raiders and then the Patriots.