Antonio Brown Signs Four-Year, $68M Deal With Steelers

With Brown and Bell locked down and – we assume – Ben Roethlisberger returning in 2017, the Steelers should be Super Bowl contenders.

Had the Steelers simply placed the regular franchise tag or a transition tag on Bell, you can bet there would have been some teams that would take a run at signing him. PFT has confirmed that it’s the exclusive tag. The move prevents Bell from becoming an unrestricted free agent and gives the Steelers more time to negotiate a long-term contract with him.

Brown’s contract is slightly frontloaded, according to ESPN, valued at an average of $18.5 million in the first three years of the four-year extension.

Brown shared via his Twitter account a scouting report that projected him as a “late draftable pick”.

The objective of the exclusive franchise tag is to make it more expensive for teams, which is why the nonexclusive tag is preferred. Brown contract for the 2017 season, with a scheduled base salary of $4.7 million, stands as is, the sources told Schefter. This could result in a lower salary figure for Bell.

Should Brown continue to perform at the levels he now is at, it will be no surprise that come the fifth year, Brown will be offered another contract by the Steelers.

Of course, Bell presents the added risk of getting a suspension from the National Football League, and the next one he receives will put him out for a significant period of time, so there’s definitely cause for concern when handing Bell a lot of long-term cash.

Either way, Bell is due a sizable pay increase. Rankings compiled by average yearly value of contract, via Spotrac.

With 106 receptions last season (for 1,284 yards), Brown led his conference for a fourth straight year, an unprecedented accomplishment.