San Francisco 49ers Rumors: Antonio Brown wants trade to 49ers “really bad”

The latest San Francisco 49ers rumors suggest Antonio Brown is very eager to come westward, and the source is none other than the legendary Jerry Rice.

The Antonio Brown-San Francisco 49ers saga continues…

This time, it’s 49ers legend Jerry Rice weighing in on the matter. And if we’re talking about well-connected former NFL receivers, there may not be a better source to turn to.

During a radio interview with 95.7 The Game on Monday, Rice was asked whether or not he got the sense that Brown wants to play for the 49ers. He didn’t seem too hesitant when he made the claim that, in fact, the Pittsburgh Steelers star is yearning for a trade to the Bay Area.

"More from Golden Gate SportsRaiders: Rookie stock report following Week 3 performance49ers sign new long snapper amidst a flurry of roster movesOakland Athletics win Game 2 of Wild Card round with late-inning drama49ers: George Kittle and Deebo Samuel cleared to return to practice49ers expected to place DE Dee Ford on injured reserveYeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He wants to come here really bad. He’s talking about running the hill with me — doing all that and just working out and just picking my brain. I don’t know if it’s going to happen because it’s going to be up to Kyle Shanahan and also John Lynch, but I’m all for it if they want him to come on board."

Well there you have it.

Brown wants to be in San Francisco, with a franchise that desperately needs an upgrade at wide receiver. The stars are aligning, especially if he’s already reaching out to a 49ers great to pick his brain and make his stance on the situation very well known.

And yet, as Rice also alludes to, there’s only so much either him or Brown can control.

At this point, the Steelers are at a huge disadvantage. They’re losing leverage on a daily basis, with every report of Brown’s dissatisfaction or update to his Instagram account making things that much more difficult. Eventually, they’re going to have to give in to his demands, finding the highest bidder willing to take him off their hands.

Will that be the 49ers? It’s possible. They obviously have a need at wide receiver, and adding Brown to the roster would fill it perfectly. His presence in the passing game would not only benefit Jimmy Garoppolo, but it would also take pressure off George Kittle to be San Francisco’s only dangerous threat through the air.

The real question is what would the Steelers’ asking price be, and are the 49ers willing to pay it? Well, the belief right now is Pittsburgh could be looking for at least a second-round pick in return for Brown.

The 49ers still own their 2019 second-round pick, so theoretically they could use it to pry Brown away from the Steel City. It’s also worth noting that they have the second pick in the second round (No. 34 overall), which could be the difference when all is said and done.

According to CBS Sports’ Jason LaCanfora, a slew of other teams — including the Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles — will be in the mix for Brown’s services. That’s some stiff competition, which could make things difficult for the 49ers if a bidding war ensues.

It’s the offseason in the NFL, and the craziness is starting to heat up. Don’t get your hopes too high, but early signs suggest a big move could be on the horizon for the 49ers.