Trades involving star players don't happen in the NFL quite as often as they do in other sports, but they do occur. Typically, it is because of financial issues that such deals take place — former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack being dealt from Oakland to Chicago just before the start of the 2018 season is an example of that.
But there have been instances where a great player has simply worn out his welcome with a certain team and has been moved. Randy Moss being sent from Oakland to New England in 2007, or the Steelers dealing for Bobby Layne in 1958 after the Lions grew weary of the future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback's party-boy ways.
The Steelers could find themselves in a similar spot now with Antonio Brown.
Though Ben Roethlisberger said Tuesday he didn't see -- or presumably take part in -- any spat during practice last week with Brown, something clearly happened. There was just too much smoke, including Brown being held out of the team's regular-season finale against the Bengals with a designation of knee/coaches’ decision.
Per CBS Sports' Jason LaCanfora, who has obviously been in contact with Brown's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, Brown wants out of Pittsburgh.
Antonio Brown has requested a trade. Im told it was not a demand but he has asked to be dealt. Very unlikely Rooney would capitulate. Brown has issues with Mike Tomlin and Ben Roethlisberger. Feels like the coach is too aligned with the QB.
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) January 1, 2019
So, what do the Steelers do now?
As mentioned, Roethlisberger is saying nothing happened between him and Brown last week, calling the receiver a good friend. But he also said the star receiver isn't answering his attempts to reach him.
"I know guys are frustrated," said Roethlisberger on his weekly call in to 93.7 The Fan Tuesday. "Some of the guys have reached out to him and haven't heard back, and that's what is frustrating to a lot of the guys."
Brown did attend Sunday's 16-13 regular season finale win against the Bengals. But he also reportedly left at halftime.
As LaCanfora wrote, Art Rooney II is unlikely to cave in to his request for a trade, if one was made, unless he feels the situation is untenable. That could leave it up to Roethlisberger and, more notably, Mike Tomlin, to sort this out. As Ramon Foster said after Sunday's game, that's what Tomlin does best.
"He is one of the best at managing (the underlying things) that go on," Foster said. "Sometimes, the ropes get pulled a little bit too far. That’s when he pulls them back."
He's had to do that with increasing regularity with Brown, a generational talent who has been given more rope than most.
At issue for the Steelers is that simply releasing Brown is not a viable option. He would count $21 million against the team's salary cap in 2019 if the team cuts him. That's approximately 11 percent of the team's 2019 cap space. And he would immediately be scooped up by another team.
He counts $22.1 million against the team's salary cap if he's on the roster in 2019.
A trade prior to June 1 also would still cost the Steelers $21 million against their 2019 cap, while a post-June 1 trade would lower that number to just over $7 million split over the 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons. But obviously, since the June 1 trade would take place after the 2019 draft, 2019 draft picks could not be involved. They would have to be future picks, which wouldn't help the team next season. And with Roethlisberger set to turn 37 in the offseason, that might be too little, too late.
Brown also will turn 31 in the offseason, making any substantial return questionable, even though he's coming off another stellar season in which he caught 104 passes for 1,297 yards and a league-high 15 touchdown receptions.
Tomlin will address the media at noon Wednesday in his season-ending press conference. What the Steelers' intentions are with Brown surely will be addressed. At least questions will be asked.
But the Steelers might not have a good answer to that question right now.
