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Antonio Brown Traded To Raiders; Will Be NFL's Highest-Paid Wideout
Antonio Brown appears to be headed to Oakland. The Raiders and Steelers have agreed to terms on a deal for the star wideout, according to multiple reports.

Trades are not official until the new league year begins Wednesday, but the All-Pro posted a picture of himself in a Raiders uniform on Instagram and Twitter late Saturday night.

Per reports, the Steelers will receive a third-round and fifth-round pick in April's draft. Brown will also get a reworked contract that makes him the NFL's highest paid wide receiver.

The new contract is reportedly for three years and $50.125 million with a maximum value of $54.125 million. He would receive $30.125 million guaranteed.

As ESPN.com noted, Brown recorded Hall of Fame-type production in Pittsburgh with 834 receptions, 11,207 yards and 74 touchdown catches in nine years. But a frayed relationship between the player and team overshadowed the gaudy numbers, and a divorce became inevitable.

When the Steelers began entertaining a trade in January, they believed Brown's market would be strong, with one NFL general manager saying the Steelers would eye a first-round pick in any deal.

The market was strong enough that the team could deal Brown before free agency started. The Steelers marked Friday as an artificial deadline for a trade after several teams -- including the Raiders, Washington Redskins and Tennessee Titans, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter -- showed interest during the NFL scouting combine.

For a little perspective, Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio reminded readers that last year, the Raiders sent a third-round pick to Pittsburgh for Martavis Bryant; this year, they'll send a three and a five for Brown. Taking that a bit further, the Raiders gave up Amari Cooper, a third-round pick, and a fifth round pick, and the Raiders got Brown and a first-round pick.

Which isn't all that bad.

The question is whether Jon Gruden can maximize Brown's talents in Oakland. It might also be worth wondering how Brown will react if Gruden can't.

He's used to getting the ball.

In fact, Brown has eclipsed 1,250 receiving yards in six consecutive seasons — something only he and Torry Holt have ever done. He’s the only receiver to ever top 100 receptions six years in a row. No other receiver even did it five consecutive times.

The downside is that Brown is going to turn 31 in July and as noted above, he doesn't come cheap in terms of salary.

But as SBNation's Adam Stile contends, the Raiders offense just got better.

The Raiders finished the 2018 season No. 28 in points scored. The team traded away Cooper prior to the trade deadline, leaving Jordy Nelson as the leading wide receiver and tight end Jared Cook as Derek Carr’s top weapon.

Stile went on to remind readers, after trading away Khalil Mack and Cooper, the priority for the Raiders was adding premium, elite talent to build around. Brown’s age might not make him a cornerstone for the Raiders, but he’s a skill position player that will force defenses to account for his abilities. That alone could be huge in getting Carr’s career trajectory back on track.

Stile summed up, "It’s a frustrating ending for the Steelers, and a risky proposition for the Raiders. But the real winner of the trade is Brown who got exactly what he wanted."

On the other side of the deal, the Steelers will lean on JuJu Smith-Schuster, their receiving leader in 2018, to serve as their top downfield weapon. They'll also be looking for second-year man James Washington to move up in the rotation alongside Smith-Schuster.

They're also likely to be looking for some veteran help the position in free agency.

But fantasy owners should set expectations high for Smith-Schuster, who ranked seventh in the NFL in receptions (111) and receiving yards (1,426) on his way to a Steelers Most Valuable Player award as voted on by teammates.

Smith-Schuster recently told reporters he didn't want to see Brown traded but he's prepared to become the team's No. 1 receiver.

Current Average Draft Position (in PPR scoring drafts) has Brown as WR7 and Smith-Schuster as WR8. It'll be interesting to see if that changes at all in the wake of this deal.