Bruce Arians undecided on Antonio Brown’s future with Bucs
Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians remains undecided about Antonio Brown’s future with the team after his three-game suspension ends next week.
Brown, Bucs safety Mike Edwards and former teammate wide receiver John Franklin III were suspended after an NFL investigation determined they had produced face COVID-19 vaccination cards.
Arians said earlier this month that he would address the futures of Brown and Edwards once they returned. Asked Monday if Brown would return next week, he said, “I haven’t made that determination yet, but we’ll see how it goes.”
The Buccaneers promoted wideout Breshad Perriman from the practice squad to take Brown’s roster spot, and Perriman produced a 58-yard touchdown reception in overtime to help beat Buffalo on Sunday.
Perriman, 28, was a first-round pick by Baltimore in the 2015 NFL Draft. He has four catches for 82 yards and a touchdown in four games this season, giving him 129 catches for 2,148 yards and 15 TDs in 67 career games.
“The more you make plays, the more you get to play,” Arians said of Perriman on Monday. “I think Tyler (Johnson) got a bunch of his snaps back this week too.
“He’s been playing good also. We’ll just see how the game plays out with those guys, but I’m comfortable with either one of them in there.”
Brown, 33, has 29 receptions for 418 yards and four touchdowns in five games this season. He has been dealing with a lingering ankle/heel injury and was expected to miss the past two games even before the suspension.
Brown has been working out away from the team, and Arians was asked when a decision will be made regarding his future.
“We’ll talk as an organization,” he said. “It’s coming up soon. When we know, we’ll let everybody know.”
–Field Level Media
