Antonio Brown’s chances of recouping $29 million in contract guarantees from the Raiders via grievance weren’t helped by a report Sunday of texts he sent to owner Mark Davis before Oakland released him almost two months ago.
The Raiders recently submitted proof in the grievance’s discovery phase showing Brown sent multiple texts to Davis asking to be released, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported. The Raiders released him on Sept. 7, triggering a memorable reaction by the mercurial wide receiver, who couldn’t contain his joy over being let go.
Brown, who was signed by the Patriots shortly after leaving Oakland before also getting released by New England a week later, is seeking nearly $40 million from both teams through a grievance with the NFL. There is a sense among many that Brown’s grievances may not be settled until after the season.
Meanwhile, another report Sunday suggests Brown could eventually be signed by another team this season. With so many teams hurting for quality wide receivers this season, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reported “Brown’s name has come up in internal discussions” for several teams who are exploring options as the Oct. 29 trade deadline approaches.
If Brown does wind up signing with his third team this season, there’s no guarantee when or if he’d be allowed to play.
Brown, who is facing accusations of sexual assault against one woman and sexual misconduct against another, would likely be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list while those investigations continued.
As for the discovery of texts between Brown and the Raiders owner, those won’t help Brown as he looks to recoup $29 million in guarantees from Oakland for this season and next season as part of his two-year contract. Because of Brown’s behavior at training camp, including unexcused absences from practices and a confrontation with general manager Mike Mayock, he appears to have triggered language that allowed the Raiders to release him without owing the guaranteed $29 million.
Brown’s best chance to recover money from the Raiders probably lies in the $215,000 in fines incurred here and $860,294 from Week 1 money. NFL rules say players on the roster as of Tuesday afternoon before the team’s upcoming game are rightfully owed that week’s game check. Brown wasn’t released by the Raiders until the Friday before their Monday night opener against Denver.
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