Steelers WR Antonio Brown speaks out on his desire for a new contract
Antonio Brown has been the best wide receiver in the NFL over the past three seasons. The Pittsburgh Steelers star has led the league in nearly every statistical category other than touchdown receptions, and he’s been toward the top in that department. Where he isn’t at the top is annual salary.
Brown is 18th among wide receivers in that department, pulling in just shy of $8.4 million per year. There are several wideouts being paid more than him despite having minimal production compared to Brown. With his contract running through the 2017 season, Brown is looking for a new deal -- and rightfully so.
"You have to take care of your guys," Brown said via ESPN. "If a guy underperforms, you get rid of him. If a guy overperforms, you take care of him.”
Brown certainly falls under the latter category as he plays like a guy being paid $20 million a year, not $8 million per season. Last season, he had 136 catches for 1,834 yards and 10 touchdowns despite being the focus of every opposing defense with Le’Veon Bell and Ben Roethlisberger both missing games.
Despite his obvious displeasure with his current deal, Brown is focused on the upcoming season. Rather than holding out and demanding a new contract, Brown is at training camp and simply looking to talk with the Steelers about a re-worked deal.
"I'm a first-class guy in the relationship [with the Steelers], and the first step to getting better is showing up," Brown said.
This is a situation to watch as camp rolls on and we approach the start of the season. A deal could get done before Week 1.
