© Brad Penner | 2018 Dec 2
Matt Maiocco joined Murph & Mac Friday morning from Radio Row in Atlanta to talk 49ers and gave some surprising insight into the Antonio Brown trade rumors. Maiocco believes that the 49ers interest in Antonio Brown may not be as serious as everyone thinks, and threw out Odell Beckham Jr. as someone who might actually make more sense.
“I know Jerry Rice is all in on Antonio Brown, but I don’t get that sense with the 49ers. I think with Antonio Brown its gotta be buyer beware, he’s getting up there in age, he’s on the wrong side of 30, he’s had a lot of issues in the past with the Steelers.
“I don’t sense that the 49ers are all-in on Antonio Brown”, Maiocco speculates. “If they’re looking at a guy like Beckham, that makes a lot more sense from the age standpoint, what he can bring to the table, what he’s got left in the tank”.
The potential red-flags surrounding Brown and potential locker room issues are a valid concern. Even with the star receiver putting up elite numbers year in and year out, it has to raise some questions about whether those issues will continue with a new team.
“He’s put up huge numbers with the Steelers if he’s not happy there in that organization with the winning they’ve done, who’s to say how long the honeymoon’s gonna be with the 49ers,” Maiocco said.
The 49ers have been linked to both star receivers during the early stages of the offseason and will continue to be attached to rumors surrounding any big-name player that could become available.
“I don’t get the sense that they’re all-in on anybody, if they were all-in on anybody, it would have been Khalil Mack and they stopped just short of what it would have taken for the 49ers to land him”.
When asked about Antonio Brown’s interest in the 49ers on Friday, Head Coach Kyle Shanahan had this to say:
“When anyone asks me about a player, it’s the easiest answer I can give, I’m not allowed to talk about anyone under contract with another team. Its a line I should just put on repeat”
With the offseason just about to begin, it’s just the beginning of what will be a very eventful and rumor-filled few months as the 49ers look to potentially make a splash this offseason.
Listen to the full interview here, for Maiocco’s thoughts on Brown & Beckham skip to 9:05.