In a recent interview Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice came out in favor of the 49ers acquiring Antonio Brown. He was even quoted as saying that “AB wants to play for the 49ers really bad”. My response to this is, ok Jerry you can have him. It’s going to cost you though. If I’m the Steelers, I’m not budging from that second overall pick as compensation. The clock is ticking on the Kyle Shanahan era in San Francisco, even if nobody wants to admit it. Going 6-10, then 4-12 would have most coaches fired already. Granted, he gets somewhat of a pass because of the Jimmy Garoppolo injury last year. Even still, the pressure is on to start winning for the Shanahan/Lynch combination. Especially given their arch-rival Rams being on the cusp of a Super Bowl appearance.
This is exactly the type of situation the Steelers need to take advantage of. A team under pressure to win, who also thinks they may be just one player away. The perfect storm is brewing for the 49ers to be just that team. Even their legendary receiver is now chiming in on how good it would be to have AB on the 49ers. Kevin Colbert should not even answer the phone unless San Francisco puts their first round draft pick on the table. Just ask them one simple question. What player at number two overall will have the impact on your team that Antonio Brown will in the next three seasons? The answer is zero.
This would end up being a win for everyone involved. The 49ers get an offensive superstar to pair with Jimmy Garoppolo. AB goes to a team and a coaching staff that can really exploit his talents. From the Steelers perspective, they get the maximum compensation they could possibly hope for. All the while they rid themselves of a major headache. Imagine a season with no drama for the Pittsburgh Steelers. No Facebook live, no skipped practices, no drug suspensions, no tantrums. I for one am beyond ready for that. So I say again…..Jerry Rice, you can have him.