Antonio Brown Trade: Raiders send 2 draft picks to Steelers for All-Pro WR

The Steelers traded WR Antonio Brown to the Raiders for an underwhelming pair of mid-round 2019 NFL draft picks.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders completed a trade for All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown early Sunday morning that will send a third- and fifth-round pick from Oakland to Pittsburgh for Brown.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke the news overnight.

Brown, 30, joins a Raiders team desperate for playmakers. He’ll immediately become the focal point of their offense, and will get paid like it.

The relationship between the Steelers and Brown fractured late last season and was deemed irreparable as the offseason marched on. Brown demanded a trade and not only got one, but he was able to — at least to some degree — control where he went.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Thursday that the Bills and Steelers had agreed to a trade for Brown, but it ultimately fell apart. There’s been speculation that Brown threatened to retire if a trade to Buffalo occurred, a threat that ultimately blew the whole thing up.

Now, Brown is a Raider, and with QB Derek Carr under center, his production should be pretty close to what he’s managed in Pittsburgh.

How the Antonio Brown trade impacts the NFL Draft

With Brown in the fold, the Raiders don’t have to force a wide receiver with one of their three first-round picks. Instead, they can focus on building the defense (edge rusher, cornerback) and offensive line. That said, if a receiver they have graded highly slips to their second or third first-round pick, they can choose to select him to pair with Brown to give Carr the best chance to succeed.

The Steelers now have a massive void to fill on offense. The additional third- and fifth-round picks are nice, but it doesn’t feel like nearly enough draft capital to make up for the lost production; Brown’s had 2,830 yards and 24 touchdowns over the last two seasons alone.

JuJu Smith-Schuster will take over as the alpha receiver and second-year man James Washington will be given a chance to emerge. But expect the Steelers to add a veteran in free agency and target receiver early in the 2019 NFL draft.