Pittsburgh Steelers fans can breathe a sigh of relief, as wide receiver Antonio Brown is expected to report to training camp on Thursday. He is, however, seeking a new contract.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Brown is “hopeful and confident” that the Steelers will restructure his deal prior to the start of the regular season. The 28-year-old has no plans of holding out at this time.
Brown is arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL, but he is not paid like it. Coming off a 136-catch, 1,834-yard season, he is set to make $6.25 million in base salary this season and just over $8 million total. The contracts for receivers like A.J. Green, Julio Jones, Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas have an average annual value of around $14-$15 million.
Brown’s current contract expires after the 2017 season.
The Steelers would be wise to not let Brown get anywhere close to free agency. He’ll undoubtedly command top dollar, and he is worth every penny. This is a guy who has caught 110, 129 and 136 passes, respectively, over the pass three seasons. Some comments the team’s GM made earlier this offseason were concerning, but it sounds like Brown has been assured he’ll be taken care of.
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