Antonio Brown

[Ras-IR Dowling]

Kraft won't buy in. He wants a happy ending here.

Wouldn’t another banner be a happy ending?

 

[PatsDeb]

This assumes that the "negative impact" is an ongoing thing rather than related to a single incident (the texting) that has already happened. If the thing that got Brown kicked off the team was a specific incident that's already happened and the team needs to pay the contract anyway, the question becomes whether or not the Patriots actually want some ROI from the contract.

Since he left the team he went to a deposition to explain hurling furniture off a balcony several stories up while folks were walking underneath, and apparently acted absolutely profane and insane. Yeah, he's not coming back. The Pats got a taste of the circus for two weeks, and AB has made it clear he is unwilling or unable to take down the tent, probably their only requirement for him remaining on the team. C YA AB.

 

[PP2]

 

[Sicilian]

So where is the board at right now? Bargaining?

 

[XLIX]

Not a for or against but can this type of thing be done? Can you cut a player and owe him money and then resign/pick him back up/let him play again under the old contract? Does the act of releasing him signal the end of the old contract thereby requiring a new contract for him to play again? Can the two sides just decide hey you owed me $9 million under the old contract and I agree to waive it if you sign me to a new $9 million contract?

Again this is all hypothetical because I don't believe for a second it is happening. But....

The Patriots didn't pay him the $9 million signing bonus. As such, AB filed a grievance. Filing a grievance is basically a voluntary thing which I am sure he could drop at any time should he so desire. So I imagine he could theoretically get a brand new contract with a brand new signing bonus with the agreement that he drops his grievance. Or they could simply pay the old signing bonus and give him a new deal at league minimum.

How all this would effect the salary cap is beyond the understanding of mortal man. Someone should tweet @Miguel.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Kraft won't buy in. He wants a happy ending here.

If BB and TB went to Kraft and publicly stated they want AB it would rub him the wrong way.

 

[LJRomanoff]

I don't know the specifics, but I find it extremely unlikely that, having already signed him to that contract, they suddenly decided he wasn't worth that money WITHOUT the off field stuff playing a huge part. And again, whatever those reasons were, still exist.

It's not a question of whether "off the field stuff" played a part, it's a question of whether the off field issues are ongoing. Obviously they knew AB had baggage before they signed him. If he was fired for directly flouting a request/order from the team (which he may have been) that event is now in the past and it's possible (although unlikely) that the differences between Brown and the team can be resolved.

You simply don't know from an outside perspective whether the reasons he was fired "still exist".

 

[RobertWeathers]

Again this is all hypothetical because I don't believe for a second it is happening. But....

The Patriots didn't pay him the $9 million signing bonus. As such, AB filed a grievance. Filing a grievance is basically a voluntary thing which I am sure he could drop at any time should he so desire. So I imagine he could get a brand new contract with a brand new signing bonus with the agreement that he drops his grievance.

How all this would effect the salary cap is beyond the understanding of mortal man. Someone should tweet @Miguel.

No need for Miguel. It's pretty simple. As it is right now AB is using up $5m in cap space because it was a guaranteed deal. That does not change.

Any re-acquisition of AB would be for additional $ on top of what the cap charge currently is

 

[NashuaPats]

If BB and TB went to Kraft and publicly stated they want AB it would rub him the wrong way.

Unlike his soul mates Lulu and Mingi

 

[primetime]

Again this is all hypothetical because I don't believe for a second it is happening. But....

The Patriots didn't pay him the $9 million signing bonus. As such, AB filed a grievance. Filing a grievance is basically a voluntary thing which I am sure he could drop at any time should he so desire. So I imagine he could get a brand new contract with a brand new signing bonus with the agreement that he drops his grievance.

How all this would effect the salary cap is beyond the understanding of mortal man. Someone should tweet @Miguel.

It would just be a new contract. The most important thing to understand about the Brown contract is that, no matter what, the cap hit is the cap hit for this league year. Even if Brown hadn't contested the forfeiture of the signing bonus by grieving, the Patriots wouldn't have seen that money credit until next season in any case. Even under the scenario you're describing here, the $4.5m is gone this year. More likely (this isn't happening, but in fantasyland) is that the Patriots would agree to settle the grievance such that he got his signing bonus and then they would just give him the salary they had signed him to such that the overall cap impact was zero-sum.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Not happening. He can’t get in line and not cause trouble.

Agreed. I'd be all for it if I thought he could, but he hasn't proven he can stay on the path. He's got real issues that go far beyond football and into real psychosis. But man is he talented! I wish he could be out there for us.

 

[maust]

If BB and TB went to Kraft and publicly stated they want AB it would rub him the wrong way.

Maybe Brady could tug on his heart strings by drawing on that immense reservoir of love Krafty Bob has for him

 

[LightSkinSmurf]

He's not wrong. Resign the beast.

 

[XLIX]

No need for Miguel. It's pretty simple. As it is right now AB is using up $5m in cap space because it was a guaranteed deal. That does not change.

But what if AB were to say "I violated the teams of the guarantee and I forfeit all rights to that money"...? I mean, if the Patriots were to win the arbitration hearing, wouldn't they get a credit for that cap money?

 

[LJRomanoff]

I must be getting old. Back in my day we only have five stages!

 

[PatsDeb]

Here's an idea for Mosslost's next poll. I am at No. 7 (and have been since the day after AB was released). Seems like we've still got a bunch of 3 and 4s around here.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Unlike his soul mates Lulu and Mingi

Yea he had a connection alright..pulling his schmuck

 

[Sicilian]

Here's an idea for Mosslost's next poll. I am at No. 7 (and have been since the day after AB was released). Seems like we've still got a bunch of 3 and 4s around here.

The stages of grief really only apply if you're actually grieving

 

[LJRomanoff]

Here's an idea for Mosslost's next poll. I am at No. 7 (and have been since the day after AB was released). Seems like we've still got a bunch of 3 and 4s around here.

It's missing #8 that I am currently enjoying: DGAF.

 

[Simpelton]

This assumes that the "negative impact" is an ongoing thing rather than related to a single incident (the texting) that has already happened. If the thing that got Brown kicked off the team was a specific incident that's already happened and the team needs to pay the contract anyway, the question becomes whether or not the Patriots actually want some ROI from the contract.

The problem that when it comes to drama, AB is the gift that keeps on giving. The texting isn't the problem. The problem is that AB had already shot his way off one team, was on a last chance deal, and STILL showed no regard for rules or consequences.

The fact that the texting probably also broke the law (harrassment etc) doesn't help either.