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Martavis Bryant

Martavis Bryant Facing Year-Long Suspension

September 9th, 2018 at 8:13am CST by Rory Parks

Former Steelers and Raiders receiver Martavis Bryant is facing a year-long suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy again, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Rumors of a looming suspension for Bryant had been swirling for some time, but this is the first definitive report on that front. Schefter adds that the NFL could issue an official ruling as early as this week.

Of course, the Raiders traded a 2018 third-round draft pick to the Steelers to acquire Bryant, but the troubled playmaker never played a down for Oakland. And, given that this would be Bryant’s third suspension in four years, it is possible that he will never play in the NFL again.

Bryant, 26, missed the entire 2016 season after repeated substance-abuse policy violations. However, he played in 15 games for Pittsburgh last year and flashed enough to entice the Raiders to part with the 79th overall pick in this year’s draft. He posted 50 catches for 603 yards and three scores in 2017, though he did clash with the Steelers’ coaching staff.

When he was dealt to Oakland, he promised to turn over a new leaf, but he was unfortunately unable to do so. He will be entitled to counseling from the NFL Players Association, even though his return to the league is now very much in doubt.

AFC Notes: Ravens, Chiefs, Raiders, Broncos

September 4th, 2018 at 10:36am CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Undrafted rookie kicker Kaare Vedvik wasn’t going to make the Ravens due to the presence of Justin Tucker, but his leg proved so impressive this offseason that it was reported multiple teams were interested in trading for him. Those hopes appeared to be dashed, at least temporarily, when Vedvik was rushed to the hospital with very serious injuries just before roster cuts.

Vedvik can’t really remember what happened to him, but it appears police are suspecting some sort of foul play as he suffered serious head trauma. Ravens coach John Harbaugh thinks it “cost him a chance to kick in this league” and added “there were plenty of trade talks” involving Vedvik according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN. It’s an unfortunate situation all around for the Norway native who was shaping up to be a very good story. Here’s to hoping he makes a full recovery.

More from around the AFC:

  • It’s been a long road back to the field for Chiefs All-Pro safety Eric Berry. Berry, who suffered an Achilles tear that cost him the entire 2017 season, is now suffering from a heel injury that may cause him to miss Week 1 according to Brooke Pryor of the Kansas City Star. Heel and Achilles injuries can be closely related so it makes sense why the team would want to be cautious, but being without Berry for any period of time would be a huge blow to an already weak Kansas City secondary.
  • The Raiders’ trade for Martavis Bryant ended in disaster. The team surrendered a third round pick for the oft-troubled receiver, and he ended up never playing a down for them. Facing yet another suspension, the team cut him this past weekend. Despite all that, Raiders coach Jon Gruden is somehow still open to bringing Bryant back, saying “perhaps we’ll get Martavis again next year and get the best out of him” adding that he’s a “great talent” and that the move “was a risk I think well worth taking” per ProFootballTalk.com.
  • Rookie running back Royce Freeman has been named the Broncos’ starter over incumbent Devontae Booker, according to Mike Klis of 9News. Freeman, a third round pick from Oregon, started the summer as the number two but leapfrogged Booker due to a strong preseason.

Raiders Announce Roster Cuts

September 1st, 2018 at 7:10pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Trading Khalil Mack wasn’t the Raiders’ only order of business Saturday. They’ve also moved their roster to 53 players by making the following transactions:

Waived:

Released:

Waived/injured:

Placed on injured reserve:

Placed on PUP list:

Raiders To Release Martavis Bryant

September 1st, 2018 at 3:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Raiders will release wide receiver Martavis Bryant, who is facing another drug-related suspension, per Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Bryant is currently appealing his upcoming ban.

Oakland gave up the 79th overall pick in this year’s draft to obtain Bryant from the Steelers, but will be moving on from the talented receiver without him ever playing a down for the team. Bryant appears to be facing a second indefinite suspension, something that would be incredibly hard to come back from.

If Bryant doesn’t win his appeal and is suspended indefinitely for a second time, it could be the end of his NFL career. It would be an incredibly sad ending to what was a very promising career. Bryant always flashed dynamic play-making ability in Pittsburgh but could never stay out of trouble off the field.

When he returned from his previous indefinite ban last year, he quickly clashed with the Steelers’ coaching staff. Unhappy with his reduced role with the team, Bryant demanded a trade. The Steelers finally found a take in Oakland, and clearly won this trade. Bryant has 17 touchdowns in just 36 career games, but will have a very long road ahead of him if he hopes to ever make it back.

AFC West Notes: Henderson, Broncos, Penn

August 15th, 2018 at 8:31pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Carlos Henderson has had a tough time so far in the NFL. After being taken with the 82nd overall pick in the 2017 draft by the Broncos, Henderson is yet to make his NFL debut. A hand injury cost him his entire rookie season, and he’s been away from the team this training camp for undisclosed reasons.

The team took Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton in the draft this year, making the receivers room very crowded with no clear spot for Henderson. To make matters even worse, Henderson was suspended for the first week of the season for a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy reports Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic (Twitter link).

It likely stems from his arrest back in January on marijuana charges. Given that Henderson was already being projected by many as a roster cut and still hasn’t reported to the team, at this point it would be surprising if the former third round pick remains in Denver much longer.

Here’s more from the AFC West:

  • The details are in on Donald Penn‘s contract restructuring with the Raiders. His cap number in 2018 has been reduced to $4.975MM (down from $8.38MM0, and he’ll get $2.75MM in extra guaranteed money on his deal for 2019, a source told Field Yates of ESPN (Twitter link).
  • The reason for Martavis Bryant‘s absence from the last couple of Raiders practices is migraines, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic (Twitter link). Tafur adds that migraines have “plagued him for years.”
  • The Raiders placed veteran defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin on injured reserve with a biceps tear, according to Michael Gehlken of Las Vegas Review-Journal (Twitter link). To make up for the loss of Rubin, the team claimed defensive tackle Gabe Wright off waivers today.

West Notes: Kaepernick, Cardinals, Raiders

August 9th, 2018 at 2:49pm CST by Zachary Links

Thursday will mark a pivotal moment in Colin Kaepernick’s collusion case against the NFL, as Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports writes. Arbitrator Stephen Burbank will meet with lawyers representing the NFL and the former 49ers quarterback to determine whether his case moves forward. If Burbank sides with Kaepernick, a hearing will take place and the QB’s team could press for even more discovery or depositions in an effort to prove its case.

Even if Kaepernick loses in this round, his legal team could still believe it has the necessary evidence to take President Donald Trump to federal court. That’s seen as a last-ditch effort for Kaep, so a victory on Thursday could lessen the chances of that battle taking place.

Here’s more from the West divisions:

  • Cardinals wide receiver Greg Little has a really good chance to make the roster, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Little, 29, has not seen the field since the 2014 season, but his route-running ability has impressed coaches thus far in camp. Little showed promise during his tenure with the Browns, including a 2011 rookie season in which he hauled in 61 receptions for 709 yards and two scores. Now that he’s healthy, Little believes that he can get back to his old form.
  • Raiders coach Jon Gruden has been critical of Martavis Bryant this offseason, but he impressed this week and had a particularly strong showing on Wednesday, as Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal writes. “Today was probably his best day,” wide receivers coach Edgar Bennett said. “Obviously, he got more reps today because of his overall preparation. Again, he’s putting the time in and the work in, and then he’ll benefit like he’s doing right now. That’s the starting point. It always starts with the preparation. … He just needs now to be consistent and keep stacking success. “He had a good day today. Now we need to stack tomorrow and keep building on it, keep building on it.” Regardless of Bryant’s performance or his understanding of the playbook, it would be a shocker if Bryant did not make the final cut.

AFC West Notes: Raiders, Mack, Broncos

August 8th, 2018 at 1:24pm CST by Zachary Links

Could the Raiders conceivably trade Khalil Mack? Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com feels that they would be wise to listen if another team blows them away with an offer of, say, two first-round picks for the 2016 Defensive Player of the Year.

Within the blurb, Gutierrez also references an exchange in March with GM Reggie McKenzie in which he asked (perhaps jokingly) if the writer had an extra $100MM on hand to help pay Mack. That may be an indication that the Raiders do not have the cash necessary to make Mack one of the highest-paid non-quarterbacks in the NFL, though there is no direct evidence of financial trouble in Oakland at this time.

Here’s more from the AFC West:

  • Former Raiders wide receiver and current NFL Network analyst James Jones hears that wide receiver Martavis Bryant is having trouble picking up the team’s playbook (via PFT). In a conversation with Jones, Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson indicated that Bryant has impressed with his natural talent, but his inability to grasp the team’s playbook has been a source of frustration for the club. Despite the hiccups, the Raiders traded a third-round pick for Bryant earlier this year, so it would be a shocker if he is not on the Week 1 roster.
  • Broncos defensive tackle Clinton McDonald is dealing with a shoulder issue that may be related to his previous shoulder woes, Mike Klis of 9News hears. It’s a source of concern for the Broncos, though the team is awaiting further tests to get a complete understanding of the situation. McDonald, who signed a two-year deal with Denver earlier this year, missed the club’s entire offseason program while recovering from an infection. He was also forced to accept a pay cut as a result of the issue, although he can earn the $3MM he gave up by appearing in all 16 games for the Broncos this year.

West Notes: Donald, Raiders, Carter

August 5th, 2018 at 12:39pm CST by Rory Parks

There are a couple of critical dates coming up in the Aaron Donald saga this week, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk points out. If Donald does not report to the Rams by August 7, he will not earn a year of credit towards free agency, which means that he would be eligible for restricted free agency next offseason, but not unrestricted free agency. However, Florio says that is not a major deterrent for Donald’s camp, as the Rams would either use the franchise tag on Donald — which, of course, they could also do if he became an unrestricted free agent — or apply a first-round restricted free agent tender. If Los Angeles went with the latter option, there would be any number of teams willing to extend a massive offer sheet to Donald and to surrender a first-round pick to the Rams if the Rams elected to not match the offer sheet, so Florio suggests LA would use the franchise tag regardless of whether Donald becomes a UFA or RFA.

The more important date, then, could be August 9, when the Rams play their first preseason game. As we have written previously, Donald could be fined a game check for each preseason game he misses, and between those penalties and the penalties for missing training camp, Donald could be looking at over $3.2MM in fines if he does not show up until the eve of the regular season opener. That reality could make him rethink his holdout, but given a recent report that the standoff could easily drag into September, it appears Donald’s reps are confident that the Rams will waive any penalties when the two sides do finally come to terms (or else that Donald’s contract will be so massive that the lost money won’t really matter).

Now let’s round up a few more notes from the league’s west divisions:

  • Raiders head coach Jon Gruden says his team’s kicking competition is not over, and that either rookie Eddy Pineiro or recent veteran acquisition Mike Nugent could win the job. But Scott Bair of NBCSports.com says Pineiro remains the heavy favorite, and Bair suggests it would be a major surprise if the rookie did not open the season as the team’s kicker.
  • We have not heard anything about a potential suspension for new Raiders receiver Martavis Bryant since June, which is obviously good news for Bryant and the team, but Gruden does not seem impressed with Bryant’s on-field performance thus far. Vic Tafur of The Athletic tweets that Bryant needs to step up his game and get more out of his reps, and Gruden said that the former Steeler needs to “master the offense and be more versatile.” Bryant is eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2019 — assuming he’s not suspended, of course — and even though he is battling for the team’s No. 3 receiver job, his talent suggests he could excel in Oakland’s offense and earn himself a nice payday next year.
  • Broncos safety Jamal Carter, a 2017 UDFA, has been very impressive in this year’s training camp, as Mike Klis of 9News.com writes. Carter appeared in all 16 of the team’s games last season, primarily as a special teams contributor, but he could get more defensive snaps in 2018, especially in sub-packages.
  • The Chargers‘ starting free safety job remains up for grabs, as Eric Williams of ESPN.com tweets. Jahleel Addae, Desmond King, and Jaylen Watkins have all seen action with the starters at that position.
  • We learned earlier today that veteran cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie had to cancel his scheduled workout with the Seahawks due to a family matter. There is not yet any word on whether the visit will be rescheduled.
  • The 49ers are growing increasingly concerned about guard Joshua Garnett‘s right knee injury.

West Notes: Seahawks, Thomas, Raiders

June 21st, 2018 at 1:20pm CST by Zachary Links

After safety Earl Thomas skipped the Seahawks‘ mandatory minicamp, ESPN.com writers huddled up suggest hypothetical trade scenarios for the Pro Bowler. The Cowboys and Chargers, they say, could offer draft picks, while the Patriots’ beat writer suggests a one-for-one deal with right guard Shaq Mason going to Seattle.

If a trade happens, any team acquiring Thomas will have to hammer out an extension with him. Writer Dan Graziano, playing the part of Thomas’ agent, proposes a four-year, $56MM extension starting in 2019, which would make him the league’s highest-paid safety ($14MM/year) in terms of new money. He also suggests $32MM in total cash flow between 2018 and 2019, which would give Thomas ample security as he enters his age-29 season.

While you ponder whether a team would be willing to part with significant compensation and give Thomas that sort of deal, let’s take a look at more items from the West divisions:

Suspension Coming For Martavis Bryant?

June 15th, 2018 at 10:22am CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders are concerned that wide receiver Martavis Bryant will be subject to league discipline, sources tell Michael Gehlken of the Review Journal. The belief is that Bryant has run afoul of the league’s substance abuse policy once again, which would put his 2018 season in jeopardy. 

Bryant, 26, missed the entire 2016 season after repeated policy violations. It’s not exactly clear what the issue is this time around, but a failed test or a failure to attend a scheduled exam could result in a lengthy ban for Bryant given his history.

On Day 1 of the draft, the Raiders shipped the No. 10 overall pick to the Cardinals for the No. 15 selection, plus a third-round pick and a fifth-round choice. After selecting UCLA tackle Kolton Miller at No. 15, they traded that newly acquired third-round selection to the Steelers for Bryant.

Bryant’s talent is undeniable, but his off-the-field issues made it a risky move. The Raiders are now bracing themselves for the possibility of not having Bryant in what should have been a highly-motivated year for him. The wide receiver is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is slated to hit free agency after the 2018 season. Instead of balling out, Bryant might have to sit out.

After joining the Raiders, Bryant insisted that he was turning over a new leaf.

“Just by handling my business as a man,” Bryant said when asked in April about how he’ll stay on course. “It’s not my first rodeo. I’ve had my difficulties in my past, but I’ve come a long way from that. It’s all about keeping the right resources around me and continuing to stay on the right path. I’m going to make sure I get that done.”

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