The Washington Commanders are “right in the middle“ of a competition at wide receiver, says head coach Dan Quinn. Outside of star Terry McLaurin, the position is a mystery exemplified by Saturday’s preseason opener against the New York Jets. The Commanders could add to the wide receiver room with former Pittsburgh Steeler Martavis Bryant.
According to NFL insider Aaron Wilson, Bryant will work out for the Commanders on Tuesday.
The 32-year-old Bryant last played in the NFL in 2018 with the then-Oakland Raiders. The 6-foot-4 wideout became a household name after playing alongside fellow future NFL players DeAndre Hopkins, Sammy Watkins, and Jaron Brown in college at Clemson.
Bryant recorded 15 touchdowns through his first two NFL seasons with Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, his momentum came to a crashing halt. The NFL suspended Bryant for the entire 2016 season after he violated the league’s substance abuse policy for a second time.
He returned in 2017 to match his career-best 50 receptions. In 2018, the Steelers traded him to the Raiders. Bryant played eight games with Oakland before a knee injury landed him on injured reserve. The league suspended him indefinitely shortly afterward for violation of his reinstatement agreement.
Since then, Bryant has played in secondary football leagues, including the Canadian Football League, Indoor Football League, and the Fan Controlled League. He played for the Vegas Vipers in the XFL in 2023 before earning a spot on the practice squad for the Dallas Cowboys.
The Cowboys released him from his future contract in May. Bryant previously worked out with the Commanders this offseason.
The Commanders need wide receiver depth. The team has Dyami Brown, 2022 first-round pick Jahan Dotson, rookie Luke McCaffrey, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Jamison Crowder stacked behind McLaurin at wide receiver.
Washington appears to be still sorting out the alignment of its receivers. It’s unclear where Martavis Bryant fits into the team’s plans. However, the fact that Washington is hosting him at this point shows some need to add him to the room.
