Report: Cardinals were prepared to cut Levi Brown before trade

Paul Calvisi of ABC Tweeted Wednesday the Cardinals were prepared to release Brown, but instead, managed to get a late-round pick from the Steelers to move him to Pittsburgh.

On reports Levi Brown trade brings late round pick from Steelers, sources say #Cards "were prepared to cut Levi." Also, savings of about $1M

— Paul Calvisi (@PaulCalvisi) October 2, 2013

One man's trash is another man's treasure sometimes in the NFL, but it's hard to ignore the fact Brown being released would have terminated his contract, putting him on the market as a free agent, and without the $3.6 million he's owed for the balance of this season.

It goes back to what the Steelers feel Brown is worth, but if the Cardinals were prepared to cut him, and the Steelers were willing to absorb a large conract for a player who, putting it mildly, doesn't appear to have won the hearts and minds of the fanbase of his former team, perhaps that's a suggestion the market wouldn't have been strong enough where a team could have out-bid the Steelers for his services at even half of what he's making now.

We'll never know such details, but we'll also find it hard to prevent asking those questions.

More from Behind the Steel Curtain:

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• Steelers must clear $2 million in cap space for Brown trade
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• Ben: 'You could say we are the worst team in the league'

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