Once the initial shock of Tom Brady jumping ship from New England to Tampa Bay this free agency had worn off, the next logical question was would he be bringing Antonio Brown with him to town?
Brown, who has been unsigned since his meager one-game stint with the Patriots this past season, has been connected with Brady as a potential free agency pairing this offseason.
Brown added fuel to that fire on Wednesday. When asked on his Instagram Story if he would sign with Tampa Bay, Brown responded “expeditiously.”
However, any thought of Brown joining the Buccaneers alongside Brady has seemingly been put to bed via head coach Bruce Arians.
Coach Arians Doesn’t Think AB is a Fit in TB
News: Even though he expressed interest in joining them, the #Buccaneers will *not* sign All-Pro WR Antonio Brown.
Bruce Arians confirmed.
“”Yea, it’s not gonna happen. There’s no room. It’s just not gonna happen. It’s just not a fit here.”
While guest appearing on CBS Sports Radio’s “Tiki & Tierney” hosted by Tiki Barber and Brandon Tierney, Arians was adamant that the team would not be signing Brown.
“Yeah, it’s not going to happen,” Arians said. “It’s just not going to happen. There’s no room and probably not enough money. But it’s just not going to happen. It’s not a fit here.”
When asked if he would reconsider signing Brown if he were willing to play for the veteran’s minimum salary, Arians replied, “no.” When asked, why not? He simply stated “I just know him” and that “It’s not a fit in our locker room.”
Of course, Arians is talking about the two years he served as Brown’s offensive coordinator with the Pittsburgh Steelers, a time he apparently isn’t the most fond of.
The Bucs Don’t Need Brown
With the possibility of Brown landing in Tampa Bay all but dead, it’s worth noting that they, nearly more than any team in the league, do not need his services.
The tandem of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin is arguably the best wide receiver duo in the entire NFL, while each player has an argument of being a top-10 player at their position.
Both Evans and Godwin eclipsed 1,100 yards receiving a season ago. Were Brown to be brought into the equation, not only would Evans and Godwin’s numbers take a dip, Brown wouldn’t see nearly the type of volume he’s come to expect over his arguably Hall of Fame career.
Not to mention that the Buccaneers also have an ultra-talent tight end in OJ Howard at their disposal. While Howard has yet to tap into his true game-changing potential, Tom Brady knows a thing or two about getting the most out of his tight ends.
Will Brown Resurface in 2020?
With the Buccaneers apparently off the table, Brown will need to set his sights on another organization to give him a shot of playing football again.
In the wideout’s only game of 2019, he hauled in four receptions for 56 receiving yards and one touchdown in less than a full 60-minutes worth of play with the New England Patriots.
He’s also just two years removed from a 104 catch, 1,297 receiving yards campaign, in which he hauled in a career-high 15 touchdowns.
It’s clear that the talent is still there, now it’s just a question of if a team is willing to take a chance on that talent.
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Bruce Arians Addresses Buccaneers Potentially Signing Antonio Brown