Antonio Brown Considering Holding Out For New Deal?

oh, I'm sure this has happened before to players

oline letting people get to a qb who is cocky
not blocking for a rb
maybe even a qb who changes a play or does not execute a play to punish an OC ?

 

I think it's for two reasons.
a) fans in general tend to think of him as one of the good guys, which, for most fans, means playing for the jersey, love of the sport, hard working etc. over and above the Mike Wallace's of the world. What's going on (or not going on) here muddies that picture, though, as you say, certainly doesn't destroy it completely. But its unexpected - from a fans perspective - given how he's been seen in the past.

b) we're coming off a season where we showed a lot of potential, and the offense in particular is promising to take the NFL by storm next year. And we thought we were just about ok with getting the right people under contract, and the cap disasters of the past were slowly sorting themselves out, and all of this was setting up for a good run next year. Then - boom! - from out of nowhere, this.

If it's true - and we still don't know that it is - then there are clearly reasons why Brown would do it, just as there are reasons why the team wouldn't. What's smarting for a lot of fans, I think, is that it was so unexpected, and throws a spanner in the works at a time the machine was just starting to chug along nicely.

 

Now that I have thought about this a bit, some other thoughts on this surprise AB dumped on us yesterday.

1. There is a great article out on steelersdepot that make a pretty good point to not hate the player, but to hate the game. To a great extent, the very nature of how contracts are worked in the NFL forces these situations.

2. The point many defenders of AB make is "why should a player have to honor his contract if the team/owners don't have to." First of all - a player doesn't have to honor their contract they can sit out if they wish but with consequences of not getting paid and fined. What you also have to remember about the team is the reason why they need the leverage to cut players under contract is that they are managing a whole organization of 60+ players. In a salary cap era, the full guarantee of all contracts would be practically impossible. What AB is doing now puts adds a huge can of worms because the Steelers are in the midst of trying to figure out what they are going to do with Heyward, Beachum, and then DeCastro. You can say that isn't AB's problem and you right it isn't, it is the Steelers' problem, but it is also why they need more leverage in managing contracts.

3. Finally - isn't it a little sad players (or at least it seems like the players along with their agents) resort to nuclear tactics. Maybe the fan base, the Steelers could swallow this a little better if AB and Rosenhaus put out a statement that said something like..."I am going to skip the non-mandatory mini-camp. At this time I would like the Steelers to renegotiate my contract as I believe my production over the last two years warrants a change to what I am being paid in comparison to my counterparts. It is my intent to come to training camp, however I want the organization to begin negotiations on my contract. I understand that the organization has other player considerations that are imminent as well, but they need to consider my situation as a high priority as well. I am willing to work with the organization for a solution that works for all of us."

 

Exactly. When i first heard this was happening i was extremely pissed at Brown. Now i can see where he is coming from. Still not happy about it but life goes on. There are arguments to be made by both sides and hopefully everything works out for the best.

 

With 3 years left there is only 2 ways to go . Play it out . Or trade . The Team makes plans to clear up money close to the end of the big contracts 3 years out only place to get the money is steal it from another player or in this case multiple players.

If the words hold out come out his lips in this situation then trade him right now .That is the only way he can get paid the market value in this situation . AB if true knows that , so to me he is asking for a trade .

 

Greed.

 

Pleonexia

 

I think that is a bit presumptuous at this point. I think he and is agent are putting the 1st move into play which is "I am being underpaid, we need to redo my contract." The threat to holdout certainly wasn't needed, but I guess they are going into this figuring a hardball approach will be required. I think the sweet spot for this may be that the Steelers can give some type of sweetener to AB for this upcoming season, some additional guaranteed money with a promise to renegotiate a new contract next off season. If that can't be done, then my guess is this will go down a pretty bad road, because I highly doubt the Steelers will restructure his contract this summer.

 

I agree, it's not like he's on food stamps: Troy played out his 5 year 8.5 million rookie contract and never said a peep about it, now there was a player that had every reason in the world to want his deal redone at about 2-3 years in as the top safety in the league, but he didn't say a word he just honored his contract...

 

It is funny to me because everyone hates Mike Wallace and you all said how different AB is. Mike Wallace got ROBBED. He made less money in 4 years in Pittsburgh than AB did last year. "Wallace so greedy blah blah blah." I love the irony.

I can't blame AB when Worilds made more than him last year. At some point these players have to be scratching their heads at Gilbert and Allen etc.

Brown is easily worth two of Cortez Allen.

With all the players leaving the Steelers their cap will be lower than usual.

I would personally try to trade AB for draft picks. A couple firsts maybe. Steelers need depth on D desperately.

This defense is hurting. The offense can't pull the team as shown in this year's playoffs.

Don't get mad I'm only being real.

 

What does this have to do with Plex?

 

But for 2015 there is only 3 players who will be making more money than AB, Ben of course, Timmons, and Pouncey, in that order, timmons and pouncey have contracts in the 40 million range same as AB, with only 3 to 5 million dollars seperating their contracts from his.....

 

Exactly Blast. It's not the fact what he is said to have been trying to accomplish but more of how these players go about changing their contacts and holding out is not the answer.

Maybe has fans we should hold out.. Wait we don't get paid lol

 

hoping Brown doesn't shoot himself in the footleg


oot aboot the oothoose
stop picking on me
and leave Plex alone.

 

Yeah AB could live off that I'm sure. It is what it is.

Humble 6th round pick becomes superstar.

AB is worth 12M+ by league standards.

 

1. If he follows through and holds out, it affects our ability to win.

2. After trashing Wallace for demanding huge money when it was reasonable for him to do so (he was on his rookie contract and a year out from free agency), fans really can't give AB a pass for trying to renegotiate his contract with 3 years still on it.

3. There's really no reasonable outcome. If we give in, it sets a horrendous precedent. And if we attempt to pacify him for the moment with an extension (give him a signing bonus in exchange for adding years to his contract), it will only lead to this exact same problem again in a couple of years because salaries continue to rise.

IMO make him available, and if we get a good offer, trade him and ... next man up.

 

Thankfully or un-thankfully, depending on how you look at it, we are not in a situation often that any one player can hold the team hostage. However, in this instance, he has them right where he wants them BECAUSE he has MADE himself an extremely valuable commodity.

If they cut him or trade him he's still gonna get paid. He's a superstar; one of the best WR's in the league. Of course I don't like this situation and it makes me, as a fan, feel negative thoughts towards AB. At the same time, good for him.

Any time I see a person work their ass off and make themselves very valuable, you have to hand it to him. He went from a 6th round pick to a superstar. We all know how valuable he is. How great is that compared to some idiot who has the world by the short ones and throws it all the way.

I say, acknowledge what he's become and give him a little more. I wouldn't go more than an extra couple million a year as an acknowledgment. As a recognition of his contribution to the team. Maybe that would be enough. If not, then some tough choices have to be made.

 

And that's the crux of it for me. I could care less if he sits out from now until July. As long as he's here day 2 of training camp (I'll give him the first day to get his point across) no harm done. Anything beyond that he's a major PITA. I wouldn't even fine him for missing the mandatory minicamps. But if he misses any of training camp, even day 1, fine to the maximum extent allowable, even retroactively if possible.

 

This is kind of what I am thinking too. I am thinking maybe some additional signing bonus for the upcoming year an additional $2 to $4M, but not something that will negate their ability to structure deals with Heyward and others, etc. Then say we will re-visit the situation next year to renegotiate a new contract or extension.

I know the feeling about the bad precedent, but AB is kind of an extreme situation and the above allows to put it on the back burner until next season comes around. The Steelers paid him money thinking he could become a #1 guy, but no-one ever thought he would reach the stratospheric levels he has reached.

One thing for sure though - he is not going to get some $60M to $75M contract w/$25M guaranteed this year...it just is not going to happen.

 

Well you have a point and I to am proud of his play . He did go from a guy who could have made Nothing to the 50 Million or so he has made . The Team deserves credit for giving him a shot and for putting guys in places around him to help him achieve that 50 Million.

Not to mention the outside of Football money he will make now because his name is a house hold name . Again my problem with him is he knows the Team can't just write him a blank check and if they did it would be the money out of his Team Mates pockets .

Will I hate AB if he leaves nope I will not , but if he intended on cashing in on his efforts at this point and time he should have just manned up and said so . Basically something like,,,I know the Team doesn't have the means to pay me my fair market value and rather than try and take money from my brothers I would like to be traded to a Team who can pay me as 1 of the best in the game at there position.

I hate the redo me crap and F my team mates ,f my team functions, f my contract , f team goals etc.etc. Get the best deal we can get and lets move on.

IMO could be a good thing as WR'S are not as valuable as DB'S to me . Let him get paid and let the Team start building a Defense that can actually stop Teams again.

 

Antonio Clown better get his ****ing ass in gear. This is not going to work. His ******* agent Drew Rosenhouse are greedy bastards . Get your ass to the OTAs and STFU

 

Would Brown have given back the money if he had not played up to standards? Steelers gave him 8 M a year and he had seven career touchdowns. When he got his contract I thought he was overpaid based on his experience. Steelers took a gamble on a 5'10 WR to play the #1 imo.