Could the 49ers give Antonio Brown a call with Deebo Samuel injured?

With Deebo Samuel out for the foreseeable future with a broken foot, the 49ers could give the embattled Antonio Brown a look.

Antonio Brown hasn’t played an NFL down since his brief appearance in a New England Patriots uniform last season, which was quickly followed by intimidation tactics against a woman who accused him of sexual assault. The Patriots quickly released Brown, and he’s been trying to repair his image ever since.

Despite all the baggage he brings with him, Brown will always get serious looks from wide receiver-needy teams due to his pure talent. After Deebo Samuel’s foot injury on Thursday, the San Francisco 49ers could entertain the thought of signing AB.

Should the 49ers sign Antonio Brown?

The short answer is it’s complicated. Brown hasn’t been reinstated by Roger Goodell, and actually faces a pending suspension as the league continues its investigation into the many allegations against him. The minute the 49ers — or any team, for that matter — sign Brown, the final outcome of that investigation is sped up to be sure that franchise doesn’t receive an unfair advantage.

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Brown’s been working out with Deion Sanders this offseason, with Prime Time taking AB under his wing in an attempt to revive what’s left of his career. At 32 years old, Brown is exiting his prime as an elite wide receiver, and a lack of significant NFL action makes his potential on-field impact a little limiting.

Still, Brown was one of the best route-runners the modern NFL had ever seen. Even at half-speed, or whatever he has left after spending the majority of the past season on the sidelines, he’d be a significant upgrade for most teams. But as we know, that analysis doesn’t begin to tell the entire story.

Brown is a locker room pariah, and he’s started drama in Pittsburgh, Oakland and even New England. Even if John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan think they can reel him in, who’s to say AB won’t leave a trail of chaos in his wake by the Bay?