Antonio Brown has Lamar Jackson’s stamp of approval.
While it’s unclear whether the Ravens will seriously consider signing Brown, who’s been a free agent since being released by the New England Patriots last September, Jackson told ESPN’s Jamison Hensley on Wednesday he’s “still hoping” the All-Pro wide receiver lands with Baltimore.
“There’s no quit with him,” Jackson said, per Hensley. “That’s the type of guy we need in our locker room. I feel like the locker room here is different than any other locker room. There’s a brotherhood going on. None of that outside noise. It’s strictly inside.”
Perhaps we’ll soon learn how much pull Jackson has in Baltimore’s personnel decisions after a sensational 2019 season in which the Ravens quarterback earned unanimous MVP honors. The NFL has been investigating Brown for allegations of sexual assault, casting uncertainty over his future between the lines, but Jackson worked out with the controversial wideout earlier this offseason and came away with a positive impression.
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“I just feel, around us, he was a great guy,” Jackson told Hensley of Brown, the cousin of Ravens wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown. “You don’t see anything going on at all. He’s a cool, down-to-earth guy. He’s passionate about the sport of football.”
It’s been a wild year-plus for AB, a seven-time Pro Bowl selection who appeared in only one game with the Patriots last season after being traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Oakland Raiders and subsequently released without every suiting up for the silver and black. He’s made headlines on a number of occasions for questionable off-the-field behavior, and most NFL teams, including the Ravens, might continue to avoid the potential headache that would come with signing him in free agency.
That said, Brown caught 104 passes for 1,297 receiving yards with 15 touchdowns in 2018 and actually looked good during his very brief stint with New England in 2019. So, there’s reason to believe one of the most prolific wide receivers in NFL history might have a little something left in the tank at age 32.
