Pittsburgh Steelers: Moving Martavis Bryant doesn’t make sense until Eli Rogers return date is set
The Pittsburgh Steelers would be benefitting no one but the team they just handed Martavis Bryant to if they move the wide receiver this offseason.
Martavis Bryant was not the breakout star everyone expected him to be in 2017. It seemed that he was more of a deep threat liability than a threat. Catching 50 passes for 603 yards and three touchdowns, Bryant did nothing to prove he’s going to be the star his social media portrayed before his return.
Moving Bryant is eventually the move for Pittsburgh. The emergence of JuJu Smith-Schuster has secured an eventual divorce as the team isn’t trying to have three starters working between two starting roles.
Smith-Schuster being younger and having what appears early as being a brighter career, is the receiver to move forward with. As someone who thrives down the middle of the field, but can certainly play on the outside, Smith-Schuster is the receiver opposite of Antonio Brown for the foreseeable future.
Therefore, moving Bryant is beneficial for Pittsburgh. However, with Eli Rogers 2018 season unknown after undergoing ACL surgery, moving a receiver before a third one is ready to go is taking a risk of leaving the slot open early in the season.
What the return for Bryant would be probably isn’t a lot. Maybe a third round pick and a future fourth or fifth rounder, but nothing too serious. But either way, a smart option to move on from the wideout.
For right now, though, keeping the squad in tact leaves no wholes in the receiving game. Brown, Smith-Schuster and Bryant are dominant, Rogers’ 2018 season is unknown for now and Le’Veon Bell may or may not be a Steeler next season. There are too many questions unanswered to make a move like trading Bryant.
As the offseason progresses and pieces fall into place, looking into add the wideout to the trading block is understandable. But for the time being, keeping the receiving core in tact, simply as a guarantee to have a well-rounded unit, is the best move Pittsburgh can make.