FOXBOROUGH – Antonio Brown hasn’t been a member of the New England Patriots for the past three weeks, but his presence has never truly vacated the organization, nor does it seem as though the former All-Pro wide receiver wants to allow it to fade.
Once again, Brown was in the news after his latest comments on Instagram, stating Wednesday: “If you guys follow the Patriots, tell them to call me. They still gotta pay me, so might as well let me earn it.”
The odds of the two parties coming together remain likely slim to none. But the reality still remains, that by originally agreeing to a one-year deal with the receiver, the Patriots handcuffed themselves, restricting their ability to retain players that could very well be of much-needed assistance.
Despite the fact that the team is currently 5-0, there are still holes to be filled, most notably on the offensive line and at the wide receiver positions.
In order to bring in help via a possible trade, the Patriots have been forced to part with multiple pieces, as they wheel-and-deal to create salary cap space. The latest casualty? Ben Watson, who was let go after it was reported that the organization would not be activating the longtime tight end following his 4-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
“Like Ben,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick told reporters Tuesday. “Just (that) we don’t have a roster spot for him right now. Maybe that’ll change, but for the moment, that’s what it is.”
That’s just one example. Don’t forget that the Patriots also dealt away wideout Demaryius Thomas to a divisional nemesis – the New York Jets – in order to acclimate Brown when he was signed. All of this for a grand total of four receptions for 56 yards and a single touchdown during a 43-0 romp of the lowly Miami Dolphins back in Week 2.
The NFL Trade Deadline will pass Oct. 29 at 4 p.m., and to this point the Patriots have been rumored to be in talks on potential deals with numerous teams for receiving help, the hot name being Stefon Diggs of the Minnesota Vikings.
As for potential options to aid the offensive line, the Patriots could target Trent Williams, who is currently in the midst of a holdout with the Washington Redskins. But in order to make that transaction a reality, the Patriots would have to clear numerous cap hurdles themselves.
And frankly, it does not seem as though Washington is in any rush to move the offensive tackle at the current moment. So at the end of all of this, the one question fans seem to be asking – Was the 11-day saga with Brown really worth it? You judge that for yourself.
