Steelers trade WR Bryant for 3rd-round pick
The Steelers refused to give in to receiver Martavis Bryant last fall after he demanded a trade. General manager Kevin Colbert continued to say throughout the offseason that he was not seeking a trade for his talented but troubled deep threat.
But in the middle of the first round of the NFL draft Thursday night, the Steelers finally did deal Bryant, and the return was better than expected for a player who is one strike away from being out of the NFL.
The Steelers received the Oakland Raiders’ thirdround pick (No. 79 overall) for Bryant, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract.
The Steelers now have three picks on day two of the draft Friday — No. 60, No. 79 and No. 92. Many draft analysts said the value in this draft is in the second and third rounds.
“As we’ve stated throughout the winter we weren’t interested in trading Martavis,” Colbert said Thursday night. “Teams were calling us. When they called they weren’t offering anything that interested us. When it got to the third round we thought that was very interesting to us, and we pulled the trigger on that deal. We’re excited to have three picks tomorrow. Since we don’t have a fourthround pick that makes up for that.”
The Steelers traded a fourth-round pick last fall for tight end Vance McDonald.
Bryant became unhappy early last season after rookie receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster surpassed him on the depth chart, and there was some drama for a week or so. However, Bryant accepted his lesser role and was not a distraction in the second half of the season.
In fact, Bryant said after the season ended that he wanted to return to play for the Steelers next season.
“Of course,” Bryant said. “They stuck with me through my whole process. We had a great year this year. I got better each game, look to build on it next year.
“I just want to bring another trophy here. I just want to win. Love the guys here, love the coaches. I don’t feel like starting that chemistry all over again by going to another team.”
Bryant burst onto the scene as a rookie with the Steelers after getting drafted in the fourth round of the 2014 draft. He had 26 catches for 549 yards and eight touchdowns in only 10 games.
But Bryant was suspended twice in the next two years for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. He was suspended for four games to start the 2015 season and then missed the entire 2016 season after testing positive for a second time. If he tests positive again, Bryant would be suspended for at least another season.
In three seasons with the Steelers, Bryant had 126 receptions for 1,917 yards and 17 touchdowns. He had 50 receptions for 603 yards and three touchdowns last season.
The decision to trade Bryant leaves the Steelers with a gaping hole at receiver. Smith-Schuster and Antonio Brown are the starters, but there is little depth behind them. Eli Rogers, who was the No. 4 receiver last season, remains unsigned after a major knee injury in the playoff loss to the Jaguars.
The Steelers did re-sign Justin Hunter earlier this spring and Darrius HeywardBey has one more year remaining on his contract, but there is a strong possibility the Steelers will use one of their three picks Friday on a receiver.
The Steelers play at Oakland Dec. 9.