Steelers should bury the hatchet with Martavis Bryant following his release

Martavis Bryant's stint with the Dallas Cowboys ended before it ever took off. On May 8th, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported that the Cowboys have released the veteran wide receiver. Bryant was an electrifying player for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2014 to 2017, but suspensions ultimately forced former GM Kevin Colbert to trade him to the Raiders in 2018.

After just 8 games on his new team, Bryant was suspended indefinitely for violating the terms of his reinstatement from previous bans under the Policy and Program for Substance Abuse. Recently, marijuana has been legalized in the NFL. This was the very substance that forced Byrant out of the league.

After bouncing around on the Fan Controlled Football League and the XFL, Bryant signed a reserve/futures contract with the Cowboys in mid-January. He's now looking for a home following his release. Byrant has not appeared in an NFL game since 2018.

Steelers should give Martavis Bryant a second chance.

At 32 years old, Martavis Bryant is no spring chicken, but he was once one of the most dynamic offensive weapons in the NFL during his time with the Steelers. That was ages ago, but Pittsburgh should consider burying the hatchet and giving Bryant a second chance this summer.

The Steelers are suddenly very deep at slot receiver. After signing Scotty Miller, Pittsburgh now has players like Miller, Roman Wilson, Calvin Austin III, and Quez Watkins who can pitch in to fill the slot role. What they are lacking is a weapon on the outside.

Because Martavis has gone so long without playing a meaningful NFL game, it's highly unlikely that he will revive his professional career in 2024. But that doesn't mean he's not worth a look.

At nearly 6'4'', Bryant once possessed remarkable deep speed and was a nightmare to track down with the ball in his hands. If he's in good enough shape, perhaps he could show just enough to stick around.

The odds of this happening are slim. This scenario feels much like the Hakeem Butler experiment Pittsburgh tried last summer. Still, for how successful Bryant was during his short-lived Steelers career and how much better he made the offense, one more shot to compete this summer shouldn't be out of the question.

Tom Pelissero reported that other teams are interested in Martavis Bryant and expect to bring him in for a visit. The Pittsburgh Steelers should be one of them.