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- Mar 20, 2019
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Before the Seahawks claimed receiver Josh Gordon on waivers, they reportedly kicked the tires on the possibility of signing receiver Antonio Brown. Now that Gordon is suspended (and Brown isn’t, at least not yet), could the wideout-needy Seahawks swing back to Brown?
While it’s unclear what the Seahawks specifically learned upon performing “due diligence” regarding Brown, a source with knowledge of the situation tells PFT that the teams interested in Brown have decided not to pursue him until the NFL clears him to play. Those teams continue to believe that, if/when Brown is signed, the league instantly would place him on paid leave pending the outcome of the three-month-old Personal Conduct Policy investigation, sparked by a sexual assault lawsuit filed against Brown in September.
With only two regular-season games left, it’s looking less and less likely that Brown will receive clearance to play before the 2019 season ends. From a financial standpoint, the risk of paid leave keeps shrinking. If a playoff team were to sign him after Week 17, the cost of paid leave would be nothing at all, since his compensation would be only his playoff share.
The bigger cost could come from media and fan reaction, and from the possibility that the league office won’t be thrilled that a team forced its hand by adding Brown to the roster. But when championships are on the line, teams take risks. And the reward from having Antonio Brown could be the ultimate one that pro football can provide.