Antonio Brown on Monday officially was activated by the Buccaneers from the reserve/suspended list.
But given all the drama surrounding the elite wide receiver over the last two years, including multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against him, he’ll be on thin ice in Tampa Bay in what very well could be his last shot in the NFL.
Head coach Bruce Arians originally wasn’t keen on bringing Brown to the Buccaneers, but since has changed his tune. Still, Arians has made it quite clear that he’ll have a problem if the wideout complains about his usage, and of course, if Brown continues to be a distraction off the field.
“He has to handle his own business off the field,” Arians told reporters Tuesday, via a team-provided transcript. “On the field, you find your role, accept it, embrace it, make sure you’re making the right plays and we’ll get you the ball.”
Brown is expected to make his Buccaneers debut Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, but his role within that game will depend on how the game goes, Arians said.
Tampa Bay knows what he’s capable of, but Brown hasn’t played an NFL game in almost 14 months, and hasn’t yet practiced with the team.
“Just being an explosive player with the ball in his hands,” Arians said. “He’ll have a role and we’ll see how much we can get him taught. The first practice will be a walkthrough because we’ve got a short week coming off Monday night. We basically miss a practice this week on Wednesday because of the short week, so it will be a walkthrough practice and basically all learning.”
Maybe the fact that Brown is staying with quarterback Tom Brady will keep him focused and on track.
