The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and wide receiver Antonio Brown are working towards an agreement, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
According to multiple reports, Brown is currently en route to Tampa and will visit with the club tomorrow. The Houston Chronicle‘s Aaron Wilson previously reported that Brown’s visit to Tampa was expected to culminate in him reaching an agreement with the team.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports the possible deal is believed to be a one-year agreement with significant upside for Brown. NFL Network adds that Bucs QB Tom Brady has been pushing for the deal. It is possible he would be eligible to play Week 9 when Tampa hosts the Saints.
Earlier this week, ESPN reported that the Seahawks were also one of the teams looking at potentially signing the free-agent wide receiver. They remain a possibility, per ESPN.
Brown is nearing the end of his eight-game suspension which was issued this summer after multiple violations of the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
Brown missed most of the 2019 season after New England released him in September, and he has repeatedly stated his desire to return to the NFL. This past offseason, Tampa Bay was one of the teams that was rumored to have had discussions about adding Brown.
In January of 2019, Tampa Bay head coach Bruce Arians said he was not a fan of the changes he’d observed of Brown when the receiver was part of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaking frankly on ESPN’s “The Adam Schefter Podcast,” Arians said, “There’s too much miscommunication. Too much diva. I’ve heard so many stories. I like Antonio. He plays as hard as anybody on Sunday and he practices hard. He’s just gotta make better decisions off the field, be on time, do some of those little things.”
Brown played with Arians while Arians was the offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh.
The Bucs enter Week 7 17th in the NFL in passing yards and sixth in passing touchdowns.
Wide receiver Chris Godwin has struggled with injuries throughout the first part of the season, appearing in just three games thus far. Wide receiver Mike Evans leads the Bucs with 281 receiving yards and six scores this year.
Tampa Bay plays Las Vegas this Sunday. Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. ET.
