Pitt’s Bryant expects benching
The Pittsburgh Steelers have no plans to trade Martavis Bryant. They also apparently don’t have any plans to play him either. At least not in Detroit.
Bryant indicated he’ll be inactive when the first-place Steelers visit the Lions on Sunday night, the fallout from a social media outburst in which the wide receiver made it clear he’s unhappy with his role in the offense.
“I’m fine,” Bryant said yesterday. “I ain’t tripping.”
Passionately defiant at times, Bryant insisted he meant no ill will when he suggested he was better than rookie teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster during an Instagram comment shortly after Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati last weekend. Bryant deleted his initial response and replaced it with one in which he wrote he wanted to be on a team where he could “gets mine.”
Given a few days to cool off, Bryant instead doubled down, even though coach Mike Tomlin called Bryant’s comments “out of bounds.”
“I feel like I’m better than every receiver or any receiver I played with,” Bryant said. “For (JuJu), he feels the same way. (Antonio Brown) feels the same way. Justin Hunter feels the same way. Everybody feel the same way.”
Kaep will get invite
NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart says the league expects Colin Kaepernick to be invited to the next meeting between owners and players to discuss social justice initiatives.
Lockhart added the meeting probably will take place next week . . . .
The New York Jets’ secondary might be down a starter against the Atlanta Falcons. Cornerback Buster Skrine has a concussion and his status is uncertain for the game Sunday at MetLife Stadium . . . .
The Los Angeles Chargers traded receiver Dontrelle Inman to the Chicago Bears for a seventh-round pick, clearing the logjam in their receiving corps.
Kuechly back at practice
Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly practiced in full pads and coach Ron Rivera says he’s on pace to play Sunday against the Buccaneers.
Kuechly participated in all of practice yesterday but has not yet been cleared from the NFL concussion protocol, Rivera said . . . .
Kicker Matt Prater signed a three-year extension with the Detroit Lions through the 2020 season.
Staley on block
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan indicated he’s open to having trade discussions about Joe Staley with the trade deadline looming.
But it’s going to take a lot to pry the standout left tackle from San Francisco.
“Joe is a guy that I definitely want here and definitely a guy I wouldn’t want to lose by any means. I’m not going to sit here, if anybody called for any one of our players, it’s not like you just hang up the phone. If people want to offer the world, you’ve always got to listen,” Shanahan said.
Shanahan’s club is 0-7 for the second time in franchise history following the 30-point defeat to the Cowboys on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium. Staley, 33, is the longest-tenured 49er and might not fit in the team’s long-term rebuilding project. The trade deadline is Tuesday.