The Antonio Brown saga continues. The never-ending controversy between Brown and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took another turn on Tuesday evening when Brown and his representative Sean Burstyn appeared on HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel." Throughout the program, Brown and Burstyn explained that they are not only seeking money to compensate for Brown's impending ankle surgery, which the pair still claims was a result of the Buccaneers' mishandling of the ailment, but they are also considering a defamation lawsuit against the Buccaneers, too.
Brown also alleged that the Buccaneers offered him $200,000 in order to seek help mentally. This situation is far from reaching its conclusion. As they say, there will be lawyers.
Brown's off-field drama hasn't stopped him from pondering his next football-related move. The seven-time Pro Bowl receiver has been keeping busy by oddly photoshopping himself in Baltimore Ravens gear and sharing his creations across various social media platforms. Brown's imaginative landing spot will lead to questions regarding whether or not the Ravens should take a chance on the disgruntled, troubled receiver.
The answer is a resounding hell no.
The Ravens represent one of the most stable franchises in the league. Head coach John Harbaugh is reportedly nearing a contract extension that will keep him in Baltimore for the foreseeable future. The Ravens possess a tight-knit locker room that is under the watchful eye of one of the most respected and tenured head coaches in the league. Adding a loose cannon like Brown could potentially undo the chemistry and camaraderie Harbaugh has worked so hard to build.
There are two sides to every story, and Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians claimed that Brown's controversial mid-game departure was in relation to a lack of targets in the passing game. If Arians' claims hold water, it's difficult to imagine Brown finding satisfaction while operating in Baltimore's run-heavy offense.
With Lamar Jackson, J.K. Dobbins, and Gus Edwards returning to the fold from injury in 2022, the Ravens project to run the football on more occasions than just about any other team in the league. Targets in Baltimore's passing game are difficult to come by and are dominated by two players in particular. Tight end Mark Andrews and receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown led the team in targets with 153 and 146 respectively. Baltimore's third-most targeted receiver was rookie Rashod Bateman, who saw just 68 balls thrown his way. Bateman was healthy for just 12 contests, however, so looking at his targets per game may paint a more accurate picture. Bateman averaged just north of five targets per game as the Ravens continued to lean on their rushing attack.
With Bateman likely to take a step forward in his sophomore campaign, and with Andrews and Marquise Brown set to command the featured roles in Baltimore's passing game, it's difficult to envision Brown finding happiness while playing third or fourth fiddle in a low-volume passing attack.
Brown may continue daydreaming about donning the Ravens' uniform next season, but Baltimore would be wise to avoid such a scenario. Brown will likely get an opportunity to play in the NFL again. Talented players typically do. Whichever franchise grants him such an opportunity will likely regret that decision before it's all said and done.
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