The most interesting news from the NFL comes from Tampa Bay. Bruce Arians, the head coach of the Buccaneers, stated clearly that his organization doesn’t want Antonio Brown.
In an interview Arians had with CBS, he was pretty much specific about Brown’s potential landing in Tampa.
“Yeah, it’s not gonna happen,” Arians told. “There’s no room. And probably not enough money but it’s just not gonna happen. It’s just a not fit here.”
Even though the Bucs might have the money required, and despite the possibility of Brown joining Tampa on a veteran-minimum contract, Arians was still against that option.
“I just know him, and it’s not a fit in our locker room,” said Arians.
There are many reasons why the 67-year old doesn’t want to sign one of the best wide receivers in the past decade. Among them is their personal dispute from last year. Back then, Arians stated that he doesn’t recognize AB anymore, adding that he wasn’t the guy whom Pittsburgh Steelers drafted back in 2010.
Tampa’s coach also said that he respects Brown’s work ethic and his on-field impact, which is massive, but that his off-field actions are not good at all.
Still, it seems that all this didn’t hit AB as much as comments that he acts as “diva.” The player would later reply via his Twitter account, saying that “Arians now wears Kangoo hats and glasses,” and yet he calls out him for being a diva.
Speculations about Brown’s arrival to Tampa Bay started the moment Tom Brady signed with the franchise from Florida. Many saw this as a possibility of fulfilling Brady’s long wish to play with AB for whom he has a very high opinion. That happened shortly in New England, but the organization had to release the controversial WR who was having all sorts of off-field problems at that time. The two would play just one game.
Signing Brown would be a very risky move. On one side, he would increase the already thriving popularity of the Buccs and also increase the revenues from marketing. Assuming that he focuses on the game, and settles down, Tampa Bay would get one hell of a connection between him and Brady, and probably create one of the best receiving core in league with Chris Godwin and Mike Evans besides.
But on the other hand, he might disrupt the chemistry in the locker room, and try to be in the middle of attention as he used to do many times before. The Buccs already have the two above-mentioned guys who are Pro Bowl players. Both Godwin and Evans posted more than 1,110 yards in the previous campaign, and there is no doubt that alongside Brady, they have all the resources to be even better.
It is probably why Arians doesn’t want to risk anything with Brown. Also, according to the analysts, there will be plenty of good wide receivers in the upcoming NFL draft. This is why Buccs don’t have to push hard for either Brown or any other receiver during the free agency.
