Martavis Bryant Suspended Again for Violation of Substance Abuse Policy
Martavis Bryant, as was feared, was suspended for an indefinite period by the NFL. This comes just a short time prior to the team departing on Friday. Bryant will not be with the team for Sunday’s game on the road with the Cincinnati Bengals.
The wide receiver was put on injured reserve with an injury to his knee earlier in December.
A statement by the league said that effective immediately Martavis Bryant was back on the Reserve Commissioner Suspended list for an indefinite period for the violation of terms in an April 2017 conditional reinstatement under the NFL Policy and Program from Substances of Abuse.
On September 1, the talented yet troubled wide receiver was released by Oakland. However, the team re-signed Bryant September 12 after he was cleared to play while his suspension was being appealed.
Bryant is in the last year of his current contract and becomes eligible next year for free agency.
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The Raiders acquired Bryant from the Steelers for a pick in the third round. He previously served a pair of suspensions missing four games during the 2015 season and all of the 2016 season.
In 2018, his totals for Oakland were 19 receptions, 266 yards and no touchdowns in just eight games.
The Raiders had hoped Bryant would become the deep threat in a revamped receiving corps that at the time included Jordy Nelson and Amari Cooper. However, Bryant suffered at training camp from what head coach Jon Gruden called headaches.
The Martavis Bryant incident is not the only new of the week for the Raiders.
On Monday, the Raiders fired general manager Reggie McKenzie following their Sunday win over Pittsburgh.
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On Tuesday, the City of Oakland said it would file a lawsuit against the NFL and Raiders over the team’s 2020 Las Vegas move.
The next day Oakland in a retaliatory move announced its proposed lease of $7.5 million for 2019 use of the Oakland Coliseum was no longer on the table and remain without a home field for next season.
On Thursday, current Cowboys wide receiver Cooper said that neither McKenzie nor Gruden wanted to make the trade that sent him to Dallas instead it was the sole decision by owner Mark Davis.
Gruden said on Friday he would not comment on the claim made by Cooper.
