The expectation is that Antonio Brown will sit out his first preseason as a member of the Oakland Raiders, but should he do so?
The Oakland Raiders kicked off their 2019 offseason in a big way, trading two draft picks to the Pittsburgh Steelers for wide receiver Antonio Brown. One of the better wideouts in the history of the game, Brown instantly becomes the best weapon quarterback Derek Carr has ever had, and appears to be loving the move to the Raiders.
After the trade, Brown and Carr became the best of friends, working out together, and even attending their kids birthday parties. They will need to keep that kind of chemistry going this offseason, as they are the leaders of an offense that will look completely different in 2019.
Brown is a machine from his wideout position, going over 100 catches in each of the last six seasons. He and Carr are already developing a rapport this offseason, and they will have to continue to do so, as Brown is not expected to play in any preseason games.
Vic Tafur from The Athletic reported on Friday that Brown will likely be held out of the preseason by head coach Jon Gruden. It is Brown’s first preseason with the Silver and Black, but fans of the team will not get to see him play live action until their Week 1 showdown on Monday night against the Denver Broncos at home.
For Brown, not playing in the preseason is no big deal, and based on the kind of relationship he already is building with Carr, they can get their work done outside of meaningless games. Gruden is not taking any chances with his star this summer, and I feel that is the right thing to do.
Outside of Brown, the Raiders have a lot of decisions to make when it comes to the wide receiver position. Tyrell Williams is going to be the No. 2, and Hunter Renfrow should own the slot, but the Raiders have to figure out what the role is for guys like Keelan Doss and J.J. Nelson. In addition, they have some fringe players who will be battling just to make the team.