Getty Bill Belichick.
There are obvious issues with the New England Patriots‘ offense this season, particularly in the passing game.
The Patriots have gone through a slew of receivers this season, many of which struggled to get on the same page with veteran quarterback Tom Brady. One of the few receivers who came through New England this season and quickly got acquainted with Brady was Antonio Brown.
Though he was released due to his off-field difficulties, Brown apologized to the Patriots and rumors regarding his return were beginning to gain traction. But it appears that will not be the case for the Patriots in 2019.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Patriots will not be bringing back Antonio Brown despite an obvious need for an experienced and proven pass-catcher on offense.
Despite New England’s offensive struggles and any speculation, Patriots will not be brining back Antonio Brown, per sources.
As for Brown’s football future, it likely won’t be in New England next season, but agent Drew Rosenhaus remains optimistic Brown will land somewhere next season following the conclusion of the NFL’s investigation, per Schefter’s report.
New England has gone through double-digit receivers in 2019, seeing the arrival and departure of Demaryius Thomas, Brown, and Josh Gordon along with injuries to Gunner Olszewski and N’Keal Harry. All that has led to a disconnect within the New England offense.
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What Other Options Does New England Have at Receiver?
The Patriots are certainly exploring the possibility of adding a veteran receiver with the 2019 season dwindling. Though it won’t be Brown, and the trade deadline has well since passed, there is one free agent New England is targeting for a potential late-season addition.
Former Dallas Cowboys receiver and three-time Pro Bowler Dez Bryant has been heavily speculated to be joining the Patriots for the stretch run this season. That only escalated this week when he responded to a comment about him joining the Patriots on one of his recent Instagram posts by saying “maybe…lol.”
It was an interesting exchange given New England has had a name in the hat for Bryant over the past few weeks. He hasn’t played in the NFL since 2017, his final season in Dallas. He was signed by New Orleans last year but never suited up in a game after tearing his Achilles in practice during his first week with the team.
Possible Destination for Brown?
Antonio Brown probably will not play again this season in the NFL, but it does not mean he is done in professional football forever.
There are certain teams that could be interested in signing Brown for next season. One team that makes sense is Miami. It’s not only Brown’s hometown team but a franchise looking to rebuild by adding a young, new quarterback next season. Along with Devante Parker, Miami could look to add a veteran like Brown to help generate some offense next year.
Another place Brown could end up is Carolina. The Panthers are still looking for an electrifying receiver to replace Devin Funchess and their willingness to move on from Cam Newton shows the desire to switch up offensive schemes for next season to a pass-heavy plan.
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