'Time Will Tell If He Will Help Them' Inside The NFL Analyst Steve Smith On Antonio Brown Joining Patriots
(CBS Boston)- The New England Patriots were the talk of the league in Week 1 before they had even played a game, due to their signing of recently released former Oakland Raiders receiver Antonio Brown.
While Brown couldn't play in Week 1, the conversation immediately turned to how he would fit in with the Patriots culture that Bill Belichick has established during his time in New England. Belichick, for his part, seems unconcerned, comparing the questions he is getting now to the ones he got when the team added Randy Moss from those same Raiders back in 2007.
That paints a potentially brilliant outlook for Brown's tenure in New England, as Moss combined with Brady to form the most dynamic duo in the league that season, cruising to the Super Bowl before falling to the Giants. Others, including much of the sports media, have no idea what to expect from Brown in New England. After the ups and downs of the last few weeks, he would appear to be a wild card.
Brown's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said Sunday that the receiver is ready to commit to the "Patriot Way". But, as Inside The NFL analyst Steve Smith Sr. points out, only time will tell.
"Based on what's transpired in the last couple weeks, I'm not sure anybody really knows. I believe New England believes that he is a guy who can help them," said Smith. "And I think time will tell if he will help them, if he will be able to conduct himself in a manner that is acceptable to the New England Patriots."
Brown's first game action can come this Sunday, when the Patriots visit the Miami Dolphins at 1 p.m. Eastern Time on CBS.
You can catch Steve along with Brandon Marshall, Phil Simms and host James Brown when Inside The NFL airs tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern Time on Showtime.