The fanfare was unlike any other signing in the season.
The Buccaneers offered Antonio Brown a one-year deal, which ends a year away from football, and Tom Brady wanted to play with him since he was in New England together.
For good on the field, and for bad on the field, Brown’s return to the NFL generates endless headlines. Now, as they return Sunday night against the Saints, the Tampa Bay top evaluator weighed in on what it is now that he is back on the field.
“It’s just so explosive and sudden and it’s so much stronger than that,” Bumps GM Jason Lick told NFL.com after seeing AB practice in Tampa. “If you had seen him in the grocery store, you wouldn’t think him a seven-time pro bowler. But man. He’s very strong, great hands, super explosive.”
So, yes. Tampa liked what he saw. And chances are, you’ll see a lot of it in front of New Reliance. Coach Bruce Arians estimates that his role could be anywhere from 10-30 plays, and Likte added that the timing of the play will depend on how the game goes.
“I expect him to get there and pick up things very quickly,” Lichte added, adding that the offense is “very similar” to what he ran with the “Steelers” and we can see a lot of Brown.
Brown, who was recently given an eight-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy following allegations of sexual misconduct and rape, came up with a lot to sign. In fact, there are still pending civil lawsuits and another suspension could come if possible if wrongdoing is done.
Likte, like Arians, said there is a way to form a contract – one year, guaran 1 million with no guaranteed money – if Brown either fits or gets out of the field warrant situation.
“It’s a chance we’re giving him another chance, but it’s a one-year deal and there’s no risk if it doesn’t work,” Lickte said. “No risk.”
In his first press conference since signing, Arians said he would leave if Brown had any trouble.
