Not that anyone needed another reason to hope Martavis Bryant can stay clean and avoid any new discipline being handed down by the NFL, but it sounds like Bryant has been off to a rip-roaring start to the offseason.
Asked who has been the most impressive player on the Raiders through mini-camp, The Athletic’s Vic Tafur believes that person has been Bryant.
It’s only June and receivers always shine without the pads on (as Tafur noted), but Bryant does share the receiver room with Amari Cooper and Jordy Nelson – so it’s noteworthy that Bryant has stood out, because his teammates aren’t slouches.
Much like Cooper, Bryant has never been limited by talent. At 6’4, Bryant has the length to create mismatches with smaller cornerbacks, but his claim to fame has always been his speed. Bryant posted a video of himself, just over a year ago, apparently running a 4.27 forty-yard dash.
In three seasons with the Steelers, Bryant has always played second fiddle to Antonio Brown, but considering the cost Jon Gruden paid for Bryant, his role with the Raiders should be much more involved. A third-round pick for Bryant may not seem like a king’s ransom, but considering the risk involved (recent suspensions) and the fact that Bryant is in the last year of his deal, it’s safe to assume Gruden didn’t add Bryant to be a decoy.
For what it’s worth, Bryant reportedly did not fail or miss a drug test, but there are still other requirements when a player is entered into the league’s substance abuse program. One of those conditions is to work with a treating clinician – a process that could possibly have been complicated by Bryant’s relocation from Pittsburgh to the Bay Area.
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