Martavis Bryant is without a doubt the second best receiver on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster. His football skills should never be in question -- what should be is much deeper.
After starting off the 2015 season with a four-game suspension, Bryant had the world convinced that his issues with marijuana would not reoccur. After facing the consequences of his failed drug tests, Martavis made Steelers Nation forget all about his mishap by having a fantastic 2015 season, finishing with 765 yards and 6 touchdowns in 11 regular season games alone; plus an additional 183 yards in post season play, including 154 yards in the Divisional round loss to the Denver Broncos.
Everything seemed to be sweet and dandy in the world of Martavis Bryant, and everyone was beginning to foresee a long, successful career with the Steelers. And then this happened:
Steelers announced Martavis Bryant officially suspended without pay for a minimum of one year.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 14, 2016
Marijuana had caught up to Bryant once again. This time for "missing drug tests," which, to most, is obvious what that means. Martavis and his agent would go on to state that Bryant was suffering from depression, and that is what caused him to miss his drug tests. Whether there is truth to that, or not, it is clear that the issue lies much deeper than what's on the outside.
A versatile receiver, and a true long-ball threat, Martavis Bryant pairs perfectly with Antonio Brown, and is one of Ben Roethlisberger's favorite targets. The skill set and numbers are undoubtedly there, but with the depth of young, talented receivers that the Pittsburgh Steelers behold, when should the team say enough is enough with the suspensions?
In the middle of his 4-year rookie contract, Bryant will throw away the third year of his contract due to his current suspension, and will have one more season in 2017 before becoming an unrestricted free agent. Even with his two suspensions, it would be understandable if Martavis was in the hunt for a hefty contract. He has had extremely impressive numbers in his first two seasons, and, if he can avoid trouble, he would be worth that huge contract.
Markus Wheaton is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and has proven to be a valuable asset to the receiving corp of the Pittsburgh Steelers. With Bryant out for the season, Wheaton has the opportunity to have his best season yet, and prove his worth as a long-term WR2 option -- for a significantly more "team-friendly" price. Behind Wheaton sits Darrius Heyward-Bey and Sammie Coates, who showed utmost glimmers of potential at the end of 2015.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are not known for giving out the big money contracts, and with David DeCastro, Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown due for big pay days soon, cap space will be a premium for the team. Will Pittsburgh be able to offer Martavis the contract that he seeks? Is he truly worth the big money? Is he truly worth the risk?
Another option that the Steelers could consider is the possibility of trading Bryant upon his reinstatement. There are a plethora of teams in the National Football League that would be open to trading for top-notch wide receiver talent, and the Pittsburgh Steelers have the depth to replace him. If Markus Wheaton can prove to be the long-term answer at the WR2 spot this season, why not sell Bryant high (no pun intended), and get first-class talent for a position that is a more critical need in return?
I am a huge fan of Martavis Bryant, and his somersault touchdown reception in the Wild Card round of the playoffs last season will be forever embedded in Pittsburgh Steelers history. The sky is the limit for this stud out of Clemson, and if he can get his off-the-field issues behind him once and for all, I would love to have him in black and gold for his entire career -- but is he worth the risk?