Getty The Buccaneers have re-signed Antonio Brown.
The Seattle Seahawks are once again linked to Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown. According to ESPN 710 Seattle’s John Clayton, Russell Wilson is still pushing the Seahawks to sign Brown who is a free agent.
.@JohnClaytonNFL says on @937theFan that Russell Wilson is still trying to get Antonio Brown to Seattle.
Brown is fresh off catching a touchdown in the Super Bowl as part of the Buccaneers’ dominant championship win over the Chiefs. The Buccaneers have re-signed a number of their key free agents, but Brown along with Leonard Fournette remain available. Seattle has been linked to both players during free agency.
Brown had 45 receptions for 483 yards and four touchdowns in his eight regular-season appearances for the Bucs in 2020. The receiver had five catches for 22 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl.
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The Seahawks Could Pry Brown Away From Brady by Topping the Bucs’ Offer
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport predicts that Brown will eventually re-sign with the Buccaneers. The NFL insider left the door open for the Seahawks to pry Brown away from Tom Brady if they can provide the receiver with a more lucrative offer. Tampa Bay has already used the majority of their cap space by re-signing Shaq Barrett, Chris Godwin, Lavonte David and Rob Gronkowski.
“If Antonio Brown is going to get a real legit deal from the Seahawks he might have to go because his deal with Tampa Bay I think is going to be a little bit of a prove it type situation,” Rapoport noted on The Pat McAfee Show.
Here is a look at Rapoport discussing Brown’s options.
“If Antonio Brown is going to get a real legit deal from the #Seahawks he might have to go because his deal with Tampa Bay I think is going to be a little bit of a prove it type situation”
@RapSheet on AB’s free agent status #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE
The Seahawks Explored Signing Brown During the 2020 Season
This is not the first time we have seen the Seahawks connected to Brown. Wilson publicly campaigned for the Seahawks to sign Brown prior to the receiver joining the Buccaneers in October. Last offseason, Brown worked out with Wilson at his San Diego home.
It remains to be seen if this offseason things will turn out differently given the strained relationship between Wilson and the Seahawks. Seattle may be more inclined to be a bit more aggressive in their pursuit of Brown. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll admitted last season that the team was looking into signing Brown, but days later the receiver agreed to a deal with the Bucs.
“We have endeavored to be in on everything that is going on, and John [Schneider] has done a marvelous job of always being tuned into what’s happening and this is no exception, so we’ll see what happens,” Carroll noted in an October 2020 press conference. “We’re tuned in to what’s happening there [with Antonio Brown]. …We’re nowhere there [signing] right now, so let’s wait and see what happens, and all that. We do all of the homework we can think of doing. We will never think that we can leave a stone unturned, and so that’s how we approach everything. So, we’ll continue to do that here.”
Seattle Is in the Market for a Third Receiver
With the departure of David Moore to the Panthers, the Seahawks are in need of a third receiver to pair with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. The Seahawks also lost Phillip Dorsett in free agency, and Josh Gordon appears to be a longshot to return to Seattle given his indefinite suspension.
If the Seahawks finally act on Wilson’s wishes, the team is going to have to be aggressive in pursuing Brown. Brady has played recruiter this offseason helping the Buccaneers retain key free agents. Brown noted after the Super Bowl that he would “love” to return to Tampa in their attempt to repeat as champions.
“Man I’d love to, I look forward to going through the process, this is a great spot for me and I would love to come back and give it another shot at a 2-peat,” Brown said, per Pro Football Talk. “. . . I would love to be back here next year. It would mean everything to be back. I’m just excited and super grateful.”
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