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Martavis Bryant Could be Possible Steelers Additon to WR Room

Originally posted on Steelers Now | By Nick Farabaugh | Last updated 5/8/24

The Dallas Cowboys are releasing former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant, according to a report by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

If you wanted to put more speculation into the fuel of just who the Steelers could look at for wide receivers on the open market, Bryant, an old friend, could be in consideration for him.

Bryant made his return to the NFL late last this season after he spent four years waiting out reinstatement for an indefinite suspension by commissioner Roger Goodell. He signed with the Cowboys practice squad on Nov. 7, but was released on Jan. 4 without appearing in a game. The Cowboys later re-signed him to a contract for 2024, but after adding sixth-round pick Ryan Flournoy and meeting with free agent wide receiver Zay Jones on Wednesday, they decided to cut Bryant loose.

Pelissero reports that several other teams are interested in Bryant, and the Steelers certainly could be one of them. They’re looking for an outside receiver to pair with George Pickens, but have come away empty handed despite trade talks for Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and Courtland Sutton.

Bryant, 32, has not played in the NFL since 2018, when he was with the Oakland Raiders. He was suspended indefinitely by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in 2018 after several failed drug tests for marijuana usage. He applied for reinstatement in 2019, but spent four years waiting to be reinstated, even after the NFL changed the rules so that Bryant would not longer have been suspended for his offenses if they occurred today.

During the time he got the boot from the league, Bryant had been playing anywhere and everywhere, spending time with the Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League, at least two indoor football teams. He then played last spring with the Vegas Vipers of the XFL.

Selected in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft, Bryant spent the first three seasons of his career in Pittsburgh, catching 126 passes for 1,917 yards and 17 touchdowns. The Steelers traded Bryant to the Oakland Raiders before the 2018 season, but he played in just eight games before the suspension.

At this point in his career, it is anyone’s best guess what Bryant can bring. The dynamic deep-threat speed that he once had could be diminished, and he would not be a solution for the Steelers, but he could provide upside in a sea of dart throws that the team has in that room. That upside with someone like Bryant is tremendous and the team can not overlook that aspect of it. Ideally, they would still want to trade for someone, but if they are going for the dart throw strategy, Bryant could be another player they could look into signing for training camp.

This article first appeared on Steelers Now and was syndicated with permission.

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