One offseason move each NFL team must make

Pittsburgh Steelers-Trade Antonio Brown

There’s no denying Brown’s talent, and he’s coming off another very productive season (104 catches for 1,297 yards and 15 touchdowns in 15 games). But if he seems to have gone into full diva mode, with reports of a severed relationship between he and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and pervasive signs on his social media accounts he wants out of Pittsburgh. Removing whatever part Brown plays in the Steelers’ dysfunction should be addition by subtraction, even as things appear to be softening a bit on both sides.

From Jerry Rice to Terrell Owens, there are prominent outside indications Brown wants to be traded and/or has his eye on the 49ers. There will be multiple teams with interest in trading for him if he’s legitimately available, though the Steelers will have to swallow over $21 million in dead money if they trade Brown.

Apart from their need to add a legit No. 1 wide receiver, the 49ers have the cap space to take on the remainder of Brown’s contract. The No. 2 overall pick in April’s draft is surely a non-starter in any looming trade talks, but practically anything else in terms of future draft picks to go with a recognizable player could be enough to get the Steelers’ attention.

The 49ers were a popular sleeper team going into last season, before a couple key injuries took things off the rails. A reset of those expectations is on the radar for 2019, and a trade for Brown would be a bold move for general manager John Lynch in an effort to accelerate the process. An offer the Steelers simply can’t refuse may be coming.