AB doesn't have anyone over a barrel but himself. He shouldn't have signed a 6 year deal if he thought he would be worth more half way through it. He wasn't worth what he was signed for during the 1st 2 years. Only last year did he surpass his contract worth. Can he keep doing it? Hopefully. But, the Steelers won't cave and won't give him an extension for another 2 years. If he continues to whine about it, he won't sign another contract with the Steelers. They can wait and cut him or trade him for draft picks now or next year and deal with the cap hits. I hope this blows over as I have liked AB up until this stunt of his.
Check your stats, Browns first year under the contract he missed three games due to injury, and when he came back wasn't 100%. Still managed to catch 5 TD's, 66 catches, 787 yards as the #2 that year. In 2013, his SECOND year on the contract he set a Steelers record with 1,499 receiving yards, to go along with 110 catches and 8 TD's. The year BEFORE he signed the contract, he had 69 catches for 1,100 yards as the #2. Brown's production isn't new and out of nowhere. It's been consistent since his second year when he surpassed Sanders as the #2 guy. He's worked his way into the position he is currently in by constantly getting better. He's gotten better each year he's been in the league, even in his injury shortened year, he still bettered his TD numbers and his catch %.
Randall Cobb makes more than Brown, his best year (this past year) is on par with Browns SECOND season. Jeremy Maclin makes more, his best year (also last year) is in between Browns second season and his 2013 season, but his catch % is WAY below Browns. He's been outplaying this contract for awhile now.
Again, lets look at the first three years of the contract, the three years that he has gotten better and better and put himself in the conversation of BEST WR.
2012 - Base of 540,000 8.5m signing bonus - cap hit 2.2m
2013 - Base of 650,000 - cap hit 3.1
2014 - Base of 730,000 - cap hit 4.5.
Those are MAJOR bargains for the Steelers. And all of this might not even matter one little bit as we are now learning that AB was absent because of the birth of his child. So far this is nothing more than rumor. But it doesn't change the fact that he's been underpaid and a major bargain for the Steelers.
