The Buffalo Bills recently parted ways with veteran wide receiver John Brown and that means the Pittsburg State product is looking for a new team to play for. Brown, who missed several games in 2020 due to an ankle injury and a positive COVID test, was a guest Thursday morning on SiriusXM NFL Radio and he listed the Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts as two teams he would like to play for.
“It depends who need receivers, but I definitely, you know, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Big Ben [Roethlisberger] is definitely good with the deep ball,” Brown said when asked which type of team he would like land with for the 2021 season. “And the Indianapolis Colts, you know, the way they used T.Y. Hilton and when we played those guys in the playoffs last year, I walked off and I’m like, you know, this team is, they’re up and coming, They’re going to be a problem in the next few years. So, I’ve got options. Like, I feel like I would fit in anywhere. But you know, like those are just the main two off top and anywhere I can come in and help and be like a small piece to the puzzle, or if they need me to be a big piece to come in and help the younger guys out and move around and do what I have to do. So, those are the main two teams though.”
While it’s been quite a while ago, the Steelers did have interest in Brown ahead of the 2014 NFL Draft and that interest included the team bringing him to Pittsburgh for a visit. He was ultimately selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the third-round of the 2014 NFL Draft and played his first four seasons in the league with them.
So far in his career, Brown, who will turn 31 in April, has registered 320 receptions for 4,748 yards and 31 touchdowns. Last season with the Bills, Brown had just 33 receptions for 458 yards and three touchdowns in the nine games he played in.
Brown would most likely be a good fit on the outside in the Steelers offense as he is still a very good field stretcher at his age. He has moved around in offenses throughout his NFL career but probably wouldn’t be a big candidate to play in the slot if the Steelers lose wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster in free agency.
Brown figures to come cheap for some team in the coming weeks and he said Wednesday he’s healthy and ready to help a team.
“Physically, I’m feeling good,” Brown said. “You know, I’m always feeling young. I always have to chase the kids around the house and they keep me active even when I’m not working out. But as far as the injuries on the sideline, I was able to see everything. I was able to help guys out, definitely like Gabe Davis, one of my great teammates, I was able to help him out, like let them know what I see. Or like, I was able to call things out before like the ball was snapped and like I was able to help him out a lot. So, it’s just seeing things different, because when you’re on the sideline, you can see everything. But when you’re on the field, there’s not much you can see, you know, with the rushing and the blitz that’s going on most of the time. And that’s it.”
