First Call: Rumors heating up about Antonio Brown in Baltimore and Seattle

We warned them! When it comes to former Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown, we told them this would happen.

If you don’t say “no,” that means “maybe.”

And then “maybe,” turns into “could.” And “could” very well “could” be a nightmare for your franchise.

On numerous occasions in recent months, we’ve used this space to acknowledge that there have been flirtations between Brown and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. After all, the star pass catcher remains a free agent.

He’s still an All-Pro-type player, even though he is combustible and likely to be suspended.

When asked about the notion of bringing Brown to Maryland in early May, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta failed to give a hard “no.”

Last year, coach Pete Carroll made it sound as if the Seattle Seahawks took a look. And quarterback Russell Wilson apparently made some overtures this spring.

Now there appears to be more fire to the smoke. From both places.

The NFL Network’s Michael Silver reports that both franchises have had “internal discussions” about signing Brown.

As Silver points out, Brown has been remarkably quiet on social media for an extended period of time. So maybe that’s an indication that he is turning over a new leaf.

But there’s still no indication as to how long he may be suspended by the league for his role in an alleged sexual assault dating back to last year. It was brought forward by his former trainer Britney Taylor in a civil suit.

Any team that signs Brown would probably want to get him on board as close to training camp as possible, so as to not be responsible for any of his conduct before practices start. And they may need to be ready for an extended absence depending on what the league does.

The longer teams such as the Ravens and Seahawks let rumors linger, the more normalized the discussion becomes. And the more tantalizing Brown’s skills appear.

You just have to wonder how long A.B. can stay A.B., and how long before “Mr. Big Chest” reappears.

Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at [email protected] or via Twitter. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.