Martavis Bryant’s name is making the rounds after the announcement that he has officially been reinstated to the National Football League.

Bryant had been barred from NFL action for four years after numerous positive drug tests plagued his career. The 31 year old wide receiver has not played in the NFL since 2018, where he played in 8 games for the Oakland Raiders.

With the Steelers offense still mightily struggling on the field, there’s an appetite by some around these parts to take a flyer on Bryant and see if he can rekindle some of his former NFL magic.

He’s one of the biggest “what ifs” in recent Steelers history. A former fourth round pick by Pittsburgh in 2014, Bryant possessed an elite skill set and consistently wowed the league with his catches.

However that, Bryant’s career is the story of someone who could not get out of his own way. Bryant was suspended numerous times for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

Bryant was suspended four games in his sophomore season (2015), and was banned for the entire 2016 season for further violations. He was conditionally reinstated for the 2017 season, where he was active for a career high 15 games.

After the 2017 season, the Steelers traded him to the Oakland Raiders for a third round pick in the draft, which Pittsburgh parlayed into a higher third rounder to select quarterback Mason Rudolph.

Bryant was released by the Raiders prior to the season starting, under the threat of another lengthy suspension for substance abuse problems. The Raiders re-signed him a week and a half later, and Bryant played in 8 games for them before December 14, 2018, when the NFL announced he would be suspended indefinitely.

Since then, Bryant has bounced around various other leagues in both the States and in Canada, and is now reportedly gaining interest amongst NFL teams as he is eligible to play for one again.

So naturally, the question gets posed, should the Steelers take a shot on him again? There’s definitely reasons for and against. Let’s explore:

Pro: Bryant’s Steelers résumé

Martavis Bryant didn’t have the chance to actually play a ton of games for the Steelers (largely due to his own actions), but he put up some great numbers when he was on the field.

In 36 games for Pittsburgh (16 starts), Bryant caught for nearly 2,000 yards. He caught 126 passes and reached the endzone 17 times. He averaged 15.2 yards per catch and was a constant threat on the field.

His freakish athletic ability would cause any defending team to have to keep a good eye on him, or severely pay the price. Bryant is one of the Steelers’ greatest “what ifs” because of that raw talent he showcased during his brief time in the NFL.

Con: Bryant hasn’t played since 2018

For whatever talents and physical capabilities he possessed, you cannot gloss ove the fact that Bryant has been out of the league since 2018, when he last played for a team that doesn’t even play in the same city anymore.

Bryant has stayed active in the football scene in recent years, trying to make it with various Canadian Football League teams, and most recently appearing in the XFL with the Vegas Vipers.

Despite that, nothing truly compares to the NFL world, and it’s more than reasonable to have reservations about a 31 year old wideout who has not played in the NFL since December of 2018.

Pro: Bryant could provide a spark

Emphasis on could, for some more cons that I will list later, but Bryant could provide a spark for a Steelers offense that is consistently stuck in neutral for at least 75% of all their games.

We talk about the Steelers needing a boost in their offense, and their wide receiver group could definitely use a third guy who brings speed and skill to the lineup.

Provided Bryant could rekindle what he was able to do in his early NFL days, he would be an amazing addition to a wide receiver room headlined by Diontae Johnson and George Pickens.

Con: Bryant’s XFL stats were baaad

Bryant spent the early part of 2023 playing for the XFL’s Vegas Vipers, and while he was one of the league’s most recognizable names, his stats didn’t look to be those of a former NFL star.

Bryant caught 14 passes in 8 games for 154 yards all season long. His highest total in a game was 43 receiving yards.

Was it just some bad luck? Or a sign that he just doesn’t have it anymore?

There’s cases for both to be true, but the Steelers should be wary of a guy who struggled to put up productive numbers in the XFL

Con: Bryant is joining a very different offense

Assuming the Steelers do decide to take a chance on their former player, Bryant is joining a very different Steelers team than the one he was traded away from in 2017.

This is no longer rthe high flying Steelers offense that Bryant would be added to. It’s a slow moving, infuriatingly inconsistent offense that already cannot properly utilize George Pickens.

Aside from the potential issue regarding Pickens’ further frustration with his deployment (which is not the Steelers’ issue), could the Steelers find a way to properly use Bryant in their offense?

It’s a fair question, and given the combination of Bryant’s declining skill set and the lack of a production from the Steelers offense, there’s a very real possibility that an addition of Bryant, even if he himself still has something left in the tank, would go to waste.

(Featured photo by Diamond Images/Getty Images)