The Pittsburgh Steelers came to an agreement with Antonio Brown last offseason on a restructured contract that increased his pay for 2016, but that was just a temporary fix. In the coming months, the Steelers could be making Brown a much happier man.
Happier than any other player at his position, even.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Steelers are expected to sign Brown to an extension after the postseason that could make him the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. A.J. Green is currently the top earner at the position with an average annual salary of $15 million.
Brown is under contract through 2017, but he flirted with the idea of a holdout before the 2016 season. If the Steelers don’t show a long-term commitment to him, he may refuse to report to training camp.
From a numbers standpoint, Brown can certainly make a case that he should be the highest-paid player at his position. The 28-year-old has averaged an eye-popping 120 receptions, 1,578 yards and 10.75 touchdowns per year over the last four seasons.
Brown’s raise in 2016 brought his salary from $6.25 million to $10.25 million. That and the bet he won with Brandon Marshall should hold him over for another couple of months.
