The Pittsburgh Steelers may have Antonio Brown on a contract holdout over the summer, as he is seeking a new deal and that could lead the team to target Jaelen Strong in the NFL draft for Ben Roethlisberger and this comes as the team has met with prospect Landon Collins, who could help replace Troy Polamalu after his retirement.
According to Pro Football Talk, the team is meeting with Collins this week ahead of the draft and it comes after they already met with Strong. The team has needs at both positions and while they expect Brown to be back, he could be out for the summer if he decides to hold out for a new contract. Strong comes in after a great season at Arizona State, while Collins is considered to be the top safety in the draft out of Alabama.
Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported that Collins is the only safety that the team has met with before the draft. The team has met with numerous defensive players as well as Strong, who could help add to an already great WR corps with Brown, Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant. Brown had a massive season last year and he could be looking to get paid after putting up monster numbers, but he has multiple years left on his deal.
According to FOX Sports, Mike Garafolo reports that Browns could consider sitting out minicamp and training camp in the hopes of getting a new deal. Pro Football Talk pointed out that while Brown is a bit underpaid based on his performance, he had three years remaining on his deal. Last season Brown had 13 touchdowns with 129 catches for 1689 yards and in his career he has 26 touchdowns and over 300 catches. Brown has been as productive as anyone in the league over the last couple years and now he wants to get paid like a top 5 receiver.
The Steelers have the number 21 pick in the first round and both players could be available. Strong has good size at 6-2, 217 pounds and he could be a very versatile option alongside Antonio Brown, who had a huge season in 2014. Strong is dealing with a wrist issue coming into the draft, but reports say he will not need surgery.
Strong had a short career at ASU, but it was very productive with back to back seasons of at least 1000 yards. Last season Strong averaged 14 yards per catch and in 2013 he had 75 catches for 1122 yards and seven touchdowns. Strong has some medical issues coming into the draft, but the receiver said he will not need surgery.
