The Facts: Following up on the ongoing story. ...The trade that will send him from Pittsburgh to Oakland isn’t official, but that’s not stopping Brown from embarking on his life as a Raider. In a Tuesday morning Instagram video, Brown — sporting a Raiders cap and a mustache that has been dyed back to black — said that he’ll be heading to the team’s facility later today to work out with quarterback Derek Carr and to meet the team’s coaches. It’s a curious plan, given that Brown technically remains under contract with another team.
Diehards Line:
Per PFT's Mike Florio, the Steelers did not comment on whether the Raiders have received permission to meet with Brown, or to let him work out at their facility. It’s Florio's understanding the Brown has been authorized only to submit to a physical with the Raiders. Apart from the potential issues that could arise if the Raiders are taking liberties with their ability to submit Brown to a physical, Brown is taking a risk by working out anywhere, for now. Given that he’s currently caught in no man’s land with a new contract still to be executed, it would be wise for Brown to do nothing that could get him injured, especially at a facility that belongs to a team other than the team for which he currently plays. If Brown were to drop a dumbbell on his foot or otherwise suffer a fluke mishap that puts him on the shelf for an extended stretch, the Raiders would be able to back out of the deal that has them sending a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick to the Steelers, along with giving Brown more than $50 million over the next two years. ... We'll continue to follow along and update as needed.