Here's an example of the chattering class at work on the prospect of the Packers trading for Antonio Brown:
http://www.espn.com/espnradio/playPopup?id=26041172
To his credit, Wilde encapsulates most of the the pros and cons, though the mentioned $35 mil cap number over 3 years is understated. For what it is worth, if a trade is made prior to the signing bonus coming due a few days into the league year it is more like $39 mil cap cost over 3 years. Further, the question of what must be given in trade is not menitioned until the very end: Wilde tossed out the #30 pick which sounds like a product of the echo chamber.
What wasn't discussed was the opportunity cost which is nearly always omitted in these discussions. If such a deal is done you have to ask the question of what other hole could you have filled with that cap space ($15 mil cap in 2019 if traded before the roster bonus comes due) and who could you draft at #30, if that's the cost, to fill another hole?
Opportunity cost is ommitted because you would set yourself for an order of magnitude greater complexity in evaluating the options. Then the video blog could go on for hours, get fans heads spinning, **** them off, and surrender future clicks.
If Gutekunst, et. al., have not already scratched Brown off the list on the basis of cost, age and/or attitude, you would expect some in depth internal discussions of those opportunity costs even if fans don't want to get into it. That's a lot of moving parts. Of course Gutekunst is privy to what the various other suspects agents are asking, what other offers are put on the table that he has to top, and how he sees the board at #30, all of which goes to opportunity costs with any possible signing, something about which we can only speculate (and which fans tend to underestimate). We should expect internal discussions to be quite lengthly and possibly contentious, be it Brown or some other expensive and/or controversial candidate.
Anyway, I doubt Pittsburgh will get a first round pick given the issues surrounding this player, particularly his desire to get these remaining 3 years fully guaranteed. The only person who knows what must be given up is Rooney or his delagate as the auction bids come in.
The other thing not mentioned is that if one trades for Brown and even gives him the guarantee, if he puts up another Pro Bowl caliber season he might well be coming back for more money in those last 2 years and if he doesn't get it unhappiness would ensues once again.
