Getty Antonio Brown #84 of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts after a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are close to finalizing a trade to send Antonio Brown to an unnamed team, reports Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Brown announced earlier on Friday that he’d announce his new team in a “little bit,” per Mike Florio of NBC Sports.
BREAKING: Steelers are close to a deal to trade Antonio Brown, per source.
The Pittsburgh Steelers had previously looked like they were dealing the prolific receiver to the Buffalo, per a report by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
After an ESPN report stated that it was a “one-team race” earlier this week, speculation has run rampant on which franchise would pick up the 7-time All-Pro. As the moments kept ticking away, more and more teams dropped from the sweepstakes, including the Titans, Saints and Redskins on Thursday.
Late on Thursday, the Oakland Raiders were ruled out. They were rumored to be the favorites for Brown’s services.
Let’s take a look at the projected wide receiver depth chart for next fall in Pittsburgh.
WR 1. Juju Smith-Schuster
The beginning, middle and end of the Pittsburgh receiving production is new No. 1 wideout Juju Smith-Schuster. The former USC Trojan broke out last season with 111 catches for 1,426 yards and 7 scores.
He already embodies the physicality and attitude required from the Steel City, as exemplified by his destructive block on Cincinnati Bengal linebacker Vontaz Burfict. On top of that, he can take the top off a defense, as demonstrated by his 97-yard touchdown against the Broncos.
At 6-foot-1, 215 pounds, he can easily slide into the top target role vacated by Brown. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN went as far to say that Smith-Schuster will actually outperform Brown.
Smith-Schuster’s ascension has had a direct impact on Brown’s production. While Smith-Schuster surpassed 1,000 yards in his second season thanks to his 189-yard display against the Broncos, Brown — with 71 catches and 874 yards — is on pace for his lowest yards total since 2012.
It sounds crazy given Brown’s greatness, but is Smith-Schuster the top option for the Steelers, at least right now?
Brown is targeted on 25.4 percent of his routes compared to 31 percent last year, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s 12 fourth-quarter throws Sunday at Denver, five targets went to Smith-Schuster compared with four for Brown.
The problem won’t be at the No. 1 spot. It’s the production surrounding Smith-Schuster that’s in question.
WR 2. James Washington
Pittsburgh drafted him in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft, and the hope is with the absence of Brown, he can breakout out in 2019 the same way Smith-Schuster did. Don’t expect similar numbers, though.
Washington chipped in 16 catches for 217 yards and a lone touchdown. He’s not exactly tall at 5-foot-11, but his 213-pound frame gives him the ability to catch passes over the middle. Lance Zuerlein of NFL.com wrote this in his NFL Draft profile.
Washington is a top-heavy receiver with dangerous build-up speed who has a three year history of hitting chunk plays thanks to his speed and ball tracking. Washington is more gradual than sudden with check marks in the vertical categories but minuses in categories like route running and hands. Washington has the potential to compete as a WR2 for a team looking to stretch the field. His limitations and dependence upon his quarterback’s deep ball accuracy makes the chasm between his ceiling and floor a little wider.
WR 3. Darrius Heyward-Bey
Time is running out for the former Oakland first-rounder to reach his physical potential. The last time he caught more than 6 passes was 2015. He snagged 21 balls for 314 yards and 2 touchdowns for a 10-6 Pittsburgh outfit.
He came into the NFL as a downfield threat with elite speed, but has not figured out how to diversify his route tree. He can step up in a pinch, but Steelers fans likely want to rely on Smith-Schuster and Washington to stay healthy.
Slot WR. Ryan Switzer
The 5-foot-8 Switzer has carved out a nifty role for himself in the NFL. Since hitting the league 2 seasons ago after playing at North Carolina, he has accumulated 59 punt returns for 508 yards during his time with the Cowboys and Steelers.
He also made strides in the slot last year in Pittsburgh. He snared 36 catches for 253 yards and a score. He figures to be a poor man’s Julian Edelman, only this time in black, yellow and white.