Antonio Brown met with the Pittsburgh Steelers this week and the two sides agreed that a parting of ways would be best for all parties, but that does not mean the team is willing to sell the star wide receiver for pennies on the dollar.
While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert acknowledged that trying to trade Brown is on the offseason agenda. However, he insisted that there will be no trade unless it benefits the team.
Steelers' stance on Antonio Brown: Won't take discounted rate on trade, won't release him, relationship not beyond repair if can't get good draft picks for him. "By no means are we going to make a trade or any type of move that will not be beneficial to Pittsburgh Steelers org"
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) February 20, 2019
In all likelihood, that is Colbert’s way of trying to gain leverage in trade talks. According to Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL Network, Steelers owner Art Rooney II urged Brown to stop hurting his own trade value when he met with him earlier this week.
Told by someone apprised of the Art Rooney-Antonio Brown meeting that AB was told just this – and advised to stop hurting his trade value. Steelers are not going to move the star wide receiver just to get rid of him. https://t.co/TeX0zoIbKh
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) February 20, 2019
Brown has done his best to force his way out of Pittsburgh, but the controversial tweets he has sent about Ben Roethlisberger and others reportedly scared at least one team. His antics have limited the list of potential suitors, and they may also inspire interested teams to low-ball the Steelers with offers. If that happens, Colbert says Brown will be back in Pittsburgh next season.
