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Will the New Orleans Saints sign Antonio Brown? It’s possible. Brown is one of several veteran wide receivers who worked out for the team on Friday, giving them an opportunity to compare the four-time All-Pro against some of his peers. Brown has only appeared in one game this season, with a series of off-field issues driving a wedge between him and his NFL prospects.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Saints are among three teams considering whether to sign Brown, per Brown’s agent Drew Rosenhaus. While the identities of those other two teams are unclear, it’s probably safe to assume that none of Brown’s previous squads — the Pittsburgh Steelers, Oakland Raiders, and New England Patriots — are among them after he thoroughly burnt those bridges.
This information adds a new wrinkle to New Orleans’ decision-making process. What if one of the teams interested in signing Brown is a potential playoff opponent, like the Seattle Seahawks (who reportedly considered him in the past, before adding Josh Gordon)? The threat of Brown being suspended while the NFL investigates two separate sexual assault allegations made against him hangs over the whole situation like the sword of Damocles, but it’s not a sure-thing that he will be suspended during the playoffs.
There’s a very real scenario where Brown signs with a Super Bowl contender and visits the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in the postseason, the same venue he torched with 14 receptions for 185 yards and 2 touchdown catches just a year ago. That may not be a risk the Saints can afford, especially if they like what they’ve learned from Brown enough to sign him anyway.
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