The Raiders got good value in giving up only third- and fifth-round picks for Antonio Brown. Guaranteeing him $30 million over the next three years is no small risk—the Steelers just found out how miserable life can be with an often-unhinged diva on the books. But Oakland wouldn’t have acquired an expensive, soon-to-be 31-year-old wideout if they didn’t think he could immediately catapult their anemic offense. So the question is: Can he?
If we’re talking about just Brown on the field, the answer is yes. Though no longer “young,” Brown has shown no hint of decline in the body control or the multidirectional speed and quickness that allow him to explode in and out of his breaks.