NFL Rumors: Latest on Antonio Brown Trade Chatter, Future of Odell Beckham Jr.

While there are outliers, most NFL teams utilize a pass-first offensive game plan. This is precisely why the most-coveted prospects in the draft are quarterbacks and pass-rushers. The same is true in free agency, though quality signal-callers and sack artists rarely actually hit the open market.

Wide receiver is a different story. While pass-catchers are obviously a big part of the passing attack, we see them reach free agency and traded when teams don't want to pay to keep them.

Last season, for example, the Miami Dolphins traded Jarvis Landry to the Cleveland Browns. While Landry might not be viewed as an elite receiver, he was the league's premier possession receiver with 400 receptions in four years.

This offseason we could see some actual elite receivers moved. One of them may be Pittsburgh Steelers star Antonio Brown. According to CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora, Brown has asked to be traded.

Brown missed the final game of the season after refusing to practice over the second half of the week. According to Gerry Dulac and Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Brown's refusal came after a disagreement with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger:

"The disagreement occurred Wednesday morning during a routine walk-through practice that precedes their regular afternoon practice on the South Side. Brown was disgusted and threw a football in Roethlisberger’s direction, several sources said."

Roethlisberger has since denied that a dispute took place.

"That's what baffling to me, people are making a big deal about a walk through on Wednesday, a fight between he and I," Roethlisberger told 97.3 The Fan. "If there was a blow up or something, I sure of heck didn't see it. I'm not sure where that comes from."

Whether or not Brown actually got into it with Roethlisberger is a bit irrelevant. The reality is that something upset the receiver to the point that he wouldn't practice with the rest of his team and was benched as a result. This isn't the first bit of discord surrounding the Steelers locker room this season—let's not forget about the whole Le'Veon Bell saga—and if Brown is causing problems, the Steelers may be ready to move on.

While receiver carries a cap hit of just over $22 million next season, trading him wouldn't be impossible. The New York Jets, for example, are set to enter free agency with more than $100 million in cap space. 

If Pittsburgh wants to trade Brown, it can probably find a partner. However, there's no guarantee it wants to. In fact, NFL Media's Ian Rapoport isn't convinced that Brown actually wants to be traded.

There's also no guarantee that the New York Giants would be willing to part with star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who was just signed to a five-year, $90 million extension last offseason. However, That doesn't mean New York won't consider it.

If the Giants feel it's time for a full-blown rebuild, they might want to move the contract. Beckham is a terrific receiver, but he also has a notable injury history. He's played in just 16 games over the last two seasons, and he's only played a full 16-game season once in his career.

If the Giants do decide to move Beckham, it appears the San Francisco 49ers would be interested.

"The 49ers considered it during that window last year when Beckham seemed to be available, and there’s already buzz this year that, if he's available, the 49ers would be interested," Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk recently wrote.

San Francisco probably wouldn't be the only team interested in Beckham, but the pairing would make sense. Teaming him with tight end George Kittle and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo would do wonders for Kyle Shanahan's offense.

Presumably, the 49ers would also be interested in Brown if he becomes available. It's going to be fun following the futures of both receivers heading into what is shaping up to be a wild offseason.

Contract information via Spotrac.