With Antonio Brown being eligible for reinstatement after Week 8, some are wondering whether the New England Patriots should give the wide receiver another shot.
It's no secret the Patriots desperately need receiver help, but signing Brown last September proved to be an unmitigated disaster. Still, several teams including the Seattle Seahawks reportedly are interested in getting the 32-year-old on their roster.
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If New England does reach out to Brown, Tedy Bruschi believes he should stay far away. The former Patriots linebacker explained why on WEEI's "Ordway, Merloni & Fauria."
"They could use him. But I'm telling you, if I'm Antonio Brown, I wouldn't touch the Patriots with a 10-foot pole," Bruschi said. "I say that because this team isn't very good anymore. You've got a quarterback now that I've got to be open for him to get me. Do I go to Cam? Or, let's see, maybe Russell Wilson that can put the ball in a place where I barely have to move my hand. What quarterback would I rather play for?
"Bad taste in my mouth from New England and how it ended, so Seattle is perfect. ... Why wouldn't I ask Tampa Bay, 'you got room for me over there?' Antonio Brown's looking for that relationship and that quarterback that can really make him a better player. Because that wide receiver position is dependent on who throws you the ball, and I'd much rather be with Russell Wilson or Tom Brady than Cam Newton right now."
Check out the full clip below:
While harsh, Bruschi's point is fair. The Patriots have been unable to get much of anything going offensively and Brown likely would prefer to land with an MVP candidate like Wilson whose team currently is 5-0.
While a reunion with Brown is unlikely, there are several potential options for the Patriots if they aim to add a wide receiver before the Nov. 3 trade deadline. Until then, they'll hope to see improvement from a receiving core that has struggled mightily as of late.
New England Patriots
The Patriots (2-3) will take on the San Francisco 49ers (3-3) on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET.