It appears Steelers wide receiver Martavis’ Bryant year-plus suspension is on the verge of ending. Those close to Bryant are “confident” the league will reinstate him soon, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com). The Steelers are also optimistic, reports the NFL Network’s Aditi Kinkhabwala, who tweets that there’s “legit hope” Bryant will be back in the fold when the team begins offseason workouts April 17.
The league banned Bryant last March after he missed multiple drug tests. Bryant previously sat four games in 2015 for marijuana usage, meaning suspensions have cost the ex-Clemson Tiger 20 contests since he entered the league as a fourth-round pick in 2014. The 25-year-old has also missed seven games while dealing with injuries, so he has only suited up 21 of a possible 48 times in the regular season.
When on the field, Bryant has been a major threat. He caught 50 passes for 765 yards and eight touchdowns in just 11 games in 2015. That came after he hauled in eight scores and averaged a ridiculous 21.1 yards per catch in 10 games as a rookie. In all, the 6-foot-4, 211-pounder has amassed 76 receptions, 14 scores and posted a 17.3 YPC. Should he gain reinstatement and rejoin the Steelers, he’d immediately become their best wideout after Antonio Brown.