Why?
That is the question the Las Vegas Raiders must ask themselves after releasing controversial wide receiver Antonio Brown last season. While you can argue that he was a distraction to the team, he could also have been their greatest weapon.
Not only would Brown have been a playmaker for the Raiders, especially with Derek Carr’s accuracy, but he could also have been the difference in a variety of crucial games. Brown was going to be a pivotal piece of the Raiders offense heading into the season, and losing him before the year even started was probably the reason for many of their losses.
For example, what about the Raiders’ first loss against the Kansas City Chiefs? While it’s arguable that he couldn’t have helped the Raiders make up those 18 points, he could have come close. Think about it! Brown would have been more than capable of getting the ball down the field for The Raiders and might have even helped them win the game.
Then there was week 14 versus the Jacksonville Jaguars, where the Raiders didn’t manage to score in the last two quarters of the game. Not only would Antonio Brown have given them some needed help on offense, he might have been the deciding factor that carried the Raiders over The Jaguars in that crucial matchup.
And lastly, there was week 17 against the Broncos. Now, it is worth noting that Josh Jacobs was not in this game, which made the Raiders’ offense one-dimensional, but imagine what Antonio Brown could have done had he been there!
In the end, no one man makes the team, and that’s not what is being claimed here. What is being claimed, however, is the fact that Antonio Brown could have served in a variety of roles and helped elevate the Raiders past their 7-9 record in 2019. Unfortunately for Raider nation, the organization chose not to overlook behavioral issues and seemingly didn’t make any concerted effort to make Vegas his home.
In all honesty, there is a lot the organization could have overlooked, and they should have. Again, the distraction argument will come up, and the idea of team chemistry will also play a role, but Brown is an asset every time he takes the field. That means he would have been a bit of a clown off the field, but he would have more than made up for it with his on-field dominance.
