Pros and cons for a 49ers trade for Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown

The San Francisco 49ers are looking like a possible destination for disgruntled Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown, and Niner Noise looks at the pros and cons of a possible trade between the two teams.

It’s looking more and more like veteran wide receiver Antonio Brown will be playing anywhere else but with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019. And the San Francisco 49ers are looking like a hot landing spot for the 30-year-old four-time first-team All-Pro.

Brown reportedly had an incident including Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, which led to him missing practices and sitting out Pittsburgh’s 2018 finale against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Since then, Brown’s actions on social media have piqued San Francisco fans’ interests in the possibility the talented wideout joins the red and gold via a possible trade this offseason.

Niner Noise already broke down how a trade for Brown could work, at least financially. The Steelers would have to eat roughly $21 million in dead cap. But if the situation with Brown is irreparable, it’s not out of the question Pittsburgh would be willing to strike a deal with a willing trade partner.

According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, the Steelers are willing to do so, even if it comes before the start of free agency on Mar. 14:

Let’s get this out of the way first. Brown heading to San Francisco still remains unlikely. 49ers general manager John Lynch only has five 2019 NFL Draft picks with which to work. And with the Niners picking at No. 2 overall this April, it’s highly unlikely any deal involves a first rounder.

Subsequent picks are also within the top five of each round.

With that as a backdrop, let’s look at the pros and cons behind a possible Brown-to-San Francisco deal this offseason.

Getting the negatives out of the way first, of course.