Why it is Possible Antonio Brown may win MVP Next Season

Mathew Huff

7/11/2016

Antonio Brown has become the NFL’s best wide receiver. There are very few people who will dispute that statement, and he proved it last year. What is interesting is that no wide receiver in NFL history has ever won the MVP award, but Antonio Brown has enough talent where he just might pull it off. Despite his height, Brown can catch passes with the best of them, and is one of the fastest players in the entire NFL. He managed to burn Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. this year for a touchdown, something Harris Jr. had not allowed to happen in two years, and has been rated number one of all wide receivers for 2015 by ESPN Fantasy Football power rankings. Oh and did I mention he was second in receiving yards last season just behind Julio Jones? Brown has an experienced quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger throwing to him, but now I personally believe Brown will be targeted even more than last year. Yes, you read that right and the reason I say that is because the long time Pittsburgh tight end Heath Miller retired this year, and Martavis Bryant will be serving a suspension for the entire year. Even though the league favors quarterbacks, I just cannot see Ben Roethlisberger being in the MVP discussion any time soon, and let’s be honest if anyone from Pittsburgh will have a chance, it will be Antonio Brown himself. Now, in terms of wide receivers or tight ends having a shot at MVP, Brown will have plenty of competition for sure. Gronkowski and Edelman still have Tom Brady throwing passes to them, Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas will look to rebound after down years last season, and the New York Jets receiving tandem of Marshall and Decker is nothing to sneeze at either. However, Antonio Brown is more valuable to his team than his quarterback at this point, something not many wide receivers can say about themselves right now. Take Brady out of New England and their production will go down, Bryant showed he needs Romo last year, the Broncos are not sure who their quarterback will be yet, and the Jets always seem to be in a fight to find or retain a solid quarterback who can get the ball to their star receivers. At the end of the day Antonio Brown is still the best receiver in the league and I predict he will prove it next year by becoming the first wide receiver in NFL history to win the MVP award.

Dear Mr. Elway and Mr. Miller, it is Time you Learn the Definition of Compromise

Mathew Huff

7/5/2016

Anyone who knows me knows me knows I am a huge, somewhat crazed to the point of it being unhealthy, Denver Broncos fan. I have suffered through thick and thin with this team and my patience was finally rewarded this year with a Super Bowl title. Now, I know about the contract controversy surrounding Von Miller, the Super Bowl 50 MVP, and John Elway, the team’s Vice President of Operations and legendary hall of fame quarterback. Some of you may be wondering whose side I am taking in this matter and I’ll you the truth which is I don’t side with either one of them. Yes, you read that right, I believe there is wrong and right on both sides. I can see why Von may be feeling low-balled with $39 million in guaranteed money, especially after Fletcher Cox of the Philadelphia Eagles just signed a contract worth $64 million in guaranteed money, but at the same time, Miller needs to realize part of Elway’s job is watching the salary cap and making sure there is enough money left over to continue building and improving the team. This is something that Miller seems to not understand and/or not care one iota about which is becoming frustrating to Broncos fans everywhere. Not to mention the fact that Miller is showing a ton of hypocrisy when he comes out and says he wants to be a Bronco for life, yet threatens to hold out when he doesn’t get what he wants. Now, I’m not about to let the great John Elway off the hook either. He can be doing better in this dispute as well. For example, Elway is notoriously cheap, sometimes to a fault, when trying to re-sign players. This showed last year in the Demaryius Thomas contract talks. No, Miller is not worth $65 million a year (in my opinion no player really is), but he could meet somewhere in the middle around $50 million a year to keep the Super Bowl MVP, and still have cap space for the following years to come. And, in Von’s defense, he was the Super Bowl MVP and was Tom Brady’s and Cam Newton’s worst nightmare in the two most important games of the year. Let’s face it, the Franchise Tag in the NFL is not what is used to be, and is becoming more of an insult to important players of all teams rather than a compliment. There needs to be a compromise of some sort that is reached if Denver is to continue being a contender for the years to come. The problem is neither side is willing to budge. So, from a lifelong, crazed Denver fan, Mr. Elway and Mr. Miller, please for the love of all holy, learn to compromise and come to some type of damn agreement!