Buccaneers Still Haven’t Cut WR Antonio Brown

As of this moment, Antonio Brown is still on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. For the second day in a row, the wideout didn’t make an appearance on the NFL’s transaction report, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).

[RELATED: Buccaneers To Cut Antonio Brown]

On Sunday, Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians indicated that Brown’s stint with the organization had come to an end, but the actual transaction has yet to take place. Per Mark Maske of The Washington Post (via Twitter), the Buccaneers are still talking with the NFL about how they should proceed. The organization is specifically concerned with “procedural issues and which designation” they should use on the wideout, and the Buccaneers’ inquiry has made its way to the NFL Players Association.

Meanwhile, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times confirms (on Twitter) what most have suspected: the Buccaneers don’t want Brown to be claimed by another squad. The reporter opines that the organization could ultimately turn to the personal conduct policy’s “Conduct Detrimental clause” as a way to avoid any guaranteed money.

To review: Brown and Arians reportedly had a spat on the sideline during Sunday’s win over the Jets, with Brown refusing to enter the game due to his injured ankle. Brown proceeded to emphatically exit the game, and Arians later indicated that Brown was no longer a member of the organization. Fast forward 48 hours, and Brown still hasn’t earned his walking papers. Brown’s camp is now claiming that the receiver was truly concerned about his ankle, and if Brown decides to stick to that story, that could be another explanation for the lack of a transaction.

Updated 2022 NFL Draft Order

Eleven teams have punched their ticket to the playoffs with one week to go in the regular season. Meanwhile, the Colts, 49ers, Chargers, Saints, Raiders, Steelers, and (technically) Ravens all still have a shot. If you’re a fan of one of the other 14 teams, this list may be of equal interest to you. That is, if your team still owns their original first-round pick.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2021 standings, plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. For playoff teams, the order is determined by their postseason outcome and regular season record.

As we look ahead to Week 18, here’s a look at the currently projected 2022 NFL Draft Order:

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars: 2-14
  2. Detroit Lions: 2-13-1
  3. Houston Texans: 4-12
  4. New York Jets: 4-12
  5. New York Giants: 4-12
  6. Carolina Panthers: 5-11
  7. New York Jets (via Seahawks)
  8. New York Giants (via Bears)
  9. Washington Football Team: 6-10
  10. Atlanta Falcons: 7-9
  11. Denver Broncos: 7-9
  12. Minnesota Vikings: 7-9
  13. Cleveland Browns: 7-9
  14. Philadelphia Eagles (via Dolphins)
  15. New Orleans Saints: 8-8
  16. Baltimore Ravens: 8-8
  17. Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-7-1
  18. Las Vegas Raiders: 9-7
  19. Philadelphia Eagles: 9-7*
  20. Los Angeles Chargers: 9-7*
  21. Philadelphia Eagles (via Colts)*
  22. Miami Dolphins (via 49ers)*
  23. New England Patriots*
  24. Arizona Cardinals: 10-5*
  25. Buffalo Bills: 10-6*
  26. Cincinnati Bengals: 10-6*
  27. Dallas Cowboys: 11-5*
  28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 12-4*
  29. Kansas City Chiefs: 11-5*
  30. Detroit Lions (via Rams): 12-4*
  31. Tennessee Titans: 11-5*
  32. Green Bay Packers: 13-3*

* = Playoffs

Buccaneers To Cut Antonio Brown

Thursday, 11:14 am: As reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Bucs have officially released Brown. An official team statement reads in part, “While Antonio did receive treatment on his ankle and was listed on the injury report the week leading up to last Sunday’s game, he was cleared to play by our medical team prior to the start of the game and at no point during the game did he indicate to our medical personnel that he could not play.” It adds that Brown has not complied with numerous attempts by the club to have his ankle evaluated by a specialist. Schefter further reports that Brown was “agitated” over a lack of targets at halftime in the game, and needed calming down at that point. In a press conference, Arians recalled the situation, saying that Brown told him, “I ain’t playing; I ain’t getting the ball”, to which Arians responded, “You’re done. Get the f- out of here”. 

The move was widely expected to take place at some point, and brings the receiver’s time in Tampa Bay to an end once and for all. Brown is now officially on waivers, though it is highly unlikely he gets claimed, as he has stated he plans on having surgery on the ankle.

Monday, 10:49pm: According to an interview with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, people close to Antonio Brown are claiming that Brown didn’t truly believe his ankle was was healthy enough to play on. Brown did miss practice Thursday and Friday leading up to the game due to his ankle. He apparently loudly made it known at halftime that he was unhappy. Arians called for him to enter the game and, when Brown refused, he was told he was done and Brown’s antics ensued. This paints the situation in a slightly different light. While Brown’s exit was clearly unprofessional, this record of events paints Brown as a victim looking out for his own health and provides a bit of reasoning to support his actions, however overblown they may have been.

This has led to a situation wherein the Buccaneers are talking to the league office about “procedural steps” and a proper “designation” for Brown, as reported by Mike Florio of NBC Sports. This poses a number of speculations as to the intentions of Tampa Bay. This could mean there is some truth to Brown’s side of the story and the Buccaneers don’t want to waive an ailing player. It could mean that Tampa Bay is worried about Brown hitting waivers and popping up on another roster in the postseason. It could just mean that the Buccaneers are doing their homework to make sure they have their bases covered when they do release the troubled receiver. Stay tuned in, and we’ll be on top of whatever result comes out of central Florida.

Monday, 5:00pm: The Buccaneers did not officially release Antonio Brown today, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). While the move is still anticipated, the organization is having “ongoing discussions with the NFL” about how to proceed.

Sunday, 3:17pm: Antonio Brown is no longer a member of the Buccaneers, head coach Bruce Arians announced. This comes just minutes after Brown took himself out of Sunday’s game against the Jets and undressed en route to the tunnel.

The Buccaneers have put up with a lot of AB drama over the last two years, but this was clearly the final straw. With Chris Godwin sidelined, the multiple-time Pro Bowl wide receiver would have been in line for plenty of playoff targets. Instead, despite the pleas of Mike Evans and O.J. Howard, he bailed on his team.

Brown had just three grabs for 26 yards before his self-imposed exit, but he dominated last week with ten catches for 101 yards against the Panthers. There will be no more of that — his 2021 will end with 39 catches for 519 yards and four touchdowns across six games. It’s also worth noting that Brown was on pace to collect an extra $1MM in bonuses. All AB had to do was record eight more catches, 55 more receiving yards, and one more receiving touchdown.

Brown, a seven-time Pro Bowler, missed much of the year with an ankle injury, followed by a three-game ban for using a phony vaccination card. At one point in time, the league considered a 6-8 game ban for Brown. The Buccaneers also discussed the possibility of extending Brown’s hiatus beyond the suspension, but ultimately relented after Godwin’s ACL tear.

Even without Brown, the Bucs went on to beat the Jets and advance to 12-4. Their depth will be tested even more as they head into the postseason without AB, Godwin, and (possibly) starting running back Leonard Fournette.

Latest On Antonio Brown

Before his abrupt exit from yesterday’s game, Antonio Brown told staffers that he would be unable to continue due to his injured ankle (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). When he was pushed to re-enter the game, Brown refused, undressed, and sprinted to the tunnel.

[RELATED: Buccaneers To Cut Antonio Brown]

The Bucs, without Brown, went on to complete a comeback win over the Jets. Immediately after the game, head coach Bruce Arians told reporters that the mercurial wide receiver was “no longer a Buc.”

Brown is now technically up for grabs, available on the waiver wire for playoff-bound clubs and hopefuls. It’s still unlikely that anyone will roll the dice on him, but the injured ankle does provide a bit of context for his viral moment. In his defense, the injury has hampered Brown throughout the year, all the way through Thursday and Friday when he was unable to practice.

For all of his off-the-field missteps, Brown has been stellar when on the field and healthy. Heading into Sunday, he had amassed 39 catches for 519 yards and four touchdowns across just six games. Now, after a quiet first half against the Jets and a very loud exit, his 2021 ends with a 42/545/4 line in seven contests.

Week 17 Playoffs Update

The playoff picture is starting to solidify. With the conclusion of Sunday’s games, 6 divisions have been decided and 2 wild card spots have been claimed. Here’s where everyone stands with one week (and one game tomorrow) left to go (not including the potential for any tie game results):

AFC

Eliminated: Jacksonville Jaguars (2-14), Houston Texans (4-12), New York Jets (4-12), Denver Broncos (7-9), Cleveland Browns (7-8), Miami Dolphins (8-8)

  1. Tennessee Titans (11-5) – Clinched AFC South. Can clinch a first round bye with a win over the Texans in Houston or a Chiefs loss and a Bengals loss. Can finish as low as the 3rd Seed.
  2. Kansas City Chiefs (11-5) – Clinched AFC West. Can clinch a first round bye with a Titans loss and a win over the Broncos in Denver. Can finish as low as the 4th seed.
  3. Cincinnati Bengals (10-6) – Clinched AFC North. Can clinch a first round bye with a Titans loss, a Chiefs loss, and a win over the Browns in Cleveland. Can finish as low as the 4th Seed.
  4. Buffalo Bills (10-6) – Clinched playoff spot. Can clinch AFC East with a win over the Jets in Buffalo or a Patriots loss. With a win, can finish as high as the 2nd Seed and as low as the 4th Seed. With a loss, can finish as high as the 4th Seed and as low as the 7th Seed.
  5. New England Patriots (10-6) – Clinched playoff spot. Can clinch AFC East with a Bills loss and a win over the Dolphins in Miami. Can clinch a first round bye with a win over the Dolphins, a Bills loss, a Titans loss, and a Chiefs loss. With a loss, can finish as low as the 6th Seed.
  6. Indianapolis Colts (9-7) – Can clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Jaguars in Jacksonville. With a win, can finish as high as the 5th Seed and as low as the 6th Seed. Can be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss to the Jaguars.
  7. Los Angeles Chargers (9-7) – Can clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Raiders in Las Vegas. With a win, can finish as high as the 5th Seed and as low as the 7th Seed. Can be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss to the Raiders.
  8. Las Vegas Raiders (9-7) – Can clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Chargers in Las Vegas or with a Colts loss and a Steelers loss (either tomorrow vs the Browns or next Sunday at the Ravens). With a win, can finish as high as the 5th Seed and as low as the 6th Seed. Can be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss and a Colts win or a loss and two Steelers wins.
  9. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7-1) – Can clinch the 7th Seed with a win over the Browns in Pittsburgh (tomorrow), a win over the Ravens in Baltimore, and a Colts loss. Can be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss to the Browns (tomorrow) or a loss to the Ravens or a Colts win.
  10. Miami Dolphins (8-8) – Eliminated.
  11. Baltimore Ravens (8-8) – Can clinch the 7th Seed with a win over the Steelers in Baltimore, a Colts loss, a Dolphins loss, and a Chargers loss. Can be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss to the Steelers or a Colts win or a Dolphins win or a Chargers win.

NFC

Eliminated: Detroit Lions (2-13-1), New York Giants (4-12), Carolina Panthers (5-11), Seattle Seahawks (6-10), Chicago Bears (6-10), Washington Football Team (6-10), Atlanta Falcons (7-9), Minnesota Vikings (7-9)

  1. Green Bay Packers (13-3) – Clinched first round bye.
  2. Los Angeles Rams (12-4) – Clinched playoff spot. Can clinch NFC West with a win over the 49ers in Los Angeles or a Cardinals loss. Can clinch the 2nd Seed with a win. With a loss, can finish as high as the 2nd Seed and as low as the 5th Seed.
  3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12-4) – Clinched NFC South. Can clinch the 2nd Seed with a win over the Panthers in Tampa Bay, a Rams loss, and a Cardinals loss. Can clinch the 3rd Seed, at worst, with a Cowboys loss. Otherwise, clinched the 4th Seed, at worst.
  4. Dallas Cowboys (11-5) – Clinched the NFC East. Can clinch the 2nd Seed with a win over the Eagles in Philadelphia, a Rams loss, and a Buccaneers loss. Can clinch the 3rd Seed with a win over the Eagles and a Rams loss. Otherwise, clinched the 4th Seed, at worst
  5. Arizona Cardinals (11-5) – Clinched playoff spot. Can clinch the NFC West with a win over the Seahawks in Arizona and a Rams loss. With a win, can finish as high as the 2nd Seed and as low as the 5th Seed (cannot finish as the 4th Seed).
  6. San Francisco 49ers (9-7) – Can clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Rams in Los Angeles or a Saints loss. Can clinch the 6th seed with a win over the Rams or an Eagles loss and a Saints loss. Can be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss to the Rams and a Saints win.
  7. Philadelphia Eagles (9-7) – Clinched playoff spot. Can clinch the 6th Seed with a win over the Cowboys in Philadelphia and a 49ers loss or a 49ers loss and a Saints win. Otherwise, clinched 7th Seed, at worst.
  8. New Orleans Saints (8-8) – Can clinch the 7th Seed with a win over the Falcons in Atlanta and a 49ers loss. Can be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss to the Falcons or a 49ers win.

Antonio Brown Bails On Bucs-Jets

Antonio Brown took off his uniform, chucked pieces of his gear into the stands, and left the field midway through Sunday’s game against the Jets. There’s no word from the team just yet, but this will likely mark the end of his Buccaneers tenure.

[RELATED: Bruce Arians Clears COVID-19 Protocols]

As noted on the FOX telecast (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport), teammates O.J. Howard and Mike Evans tried to calm AB down midway through his outburst. They were unsuccessful as Brown jogged to the locker room half naked.

With star wide receiver Chris Godwin out for the year, Brown figured to be a key part of the Bucs’ playoff offense. The timing is even more confusing given Brown’s contract. As noted by Spotrac (Twitter link), Brown was on the verge of collecting serious bonus money. With eight more catches ($333K), 55 receiving yards ($333K), and one receiving touchdown ($333K), Brown would have made an extra $1MM this year.

Instead, Brown is probably done with the Buccaneers and, possibly, football altogether. The rest of the Bucs, meanwhile, went on to rally and beat the Jets, 28-24.

Bruce Arians Clears COVID-19 Protocols

Bruce Arians will be on the sidelines for the Buccaneers on Sunday in New Jersey. The defending Super Bowl champions’ head coach cleared COVID-19 protocols Saturday, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com notes.

A three-time cancer survivor, Arians contracted COVID-19 earlier this week. Arians, 69, is fully vaccinated and experienced mild symptoms, Laine adds. Assistant head coach Harold Goodwin served as the Bucs’ acting HC this week. Wide receivers coach Kevin Garver cleared virus protocols as well Saturday.

The Bucs saw a few other starters test positive this week, but the NFL changing its protocols once again has made it easier for players to return after submitting positive tests. Mike Evans, Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean are back on Tampa Bay’s active roster. Evans is questionable for Week 17 due to a hamstring injury. Both Dean and Murphy-Bunting traveled separately to New Jersey due to their late activations.

While the Bucs will at least have their head coach and key corners back, they will be without top pass rushers Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul due to injury. Tampa Bay also has Leonard Fournette and Lavonte David on IR. Antonio Brown is questionable to face the Jets after aggravating an ankle injury in practice. Brown has not practiced since tweaking his ankle Wednesday.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/1/22

The first minor moves of 2022:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texas

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Football Team

NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 1/1/22

Here are the New Year’s Day activations from and placements on the reserve/COVID-19 lists:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Oli Udoh

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Bryce Hall

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 12/31/21

Here are the New Year’s Eve additions and subtractions from teams’ reserve/COVID-19 lists:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

  • Activated from practice squad virus list: T Drew Himmelman, LB Barrington Wade

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

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