Jon Gruden wouldn't "take the cheese" on the Raiders' rumored interest in Antonio Brown on Friday. But, he just might have been gouda at playing it coy.
The Raiders, along with Washington and the Tennessee Titans, are "the three teams that have shown the most interest in" the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Friday night citing league sources.
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The Silver and Black appears to be in a strong position compared to their reported competitors.
With just over $72 million in salary-cap space, the Raiders have more cap room to bring in the All-Pro receiver than either Washington or Tennessee. Oakland also has four picks in the top 35 in April's draft, two more than Washington and Tennessee combined. That includes three in the first round, one of which would meet the Steelers' asking price.
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Much like Tennessee and Washington, the Raiders also have a clear need at the position. Brown recorded 104 catches for 1,297 yards and 15 touchdowns in a "down" season in 2018. Tight end Jared Cook was the Raiders' leading pass-catcher in 2018, and Oakland hasn't had a 1,200-yard receiver since Jerry Rice in 2002.
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Brown is tight with Rice, and he has made it clear on social media he'd like to follow in Rice's footsteps, and join the 49ers. If the Raiders can get a deal done, he'd still be on the Rice path: Oakland was the legendary receiver's second NFL stop, and the same would be true for Brown.