Is Martavis Bryant the Answer to Steelers Offensive Woes?

Martavis Bryant

When the Steelers drafted Clemson receiver Martavis Bryant in the fourth round in May, they were enthused because he brought some much-needed size to a group of receivers that are small in stature.

“We needed a different guy from what we have,” receivers coach Richard Mann said. “He will be a great weapon for us in the red zone.”

Five games into the season, the Steelers own one of the worst red-zone offenses in the NFL, but the coaching staff has not yet turned to their 6-foot-4, 211-pound rookie for help.

Bryant has not been active for any of the first five games. He struggled with inconsistency in training camp, was called out by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and fellow wide receiver Antonio Brown for his practice habits and also has dealt with injuries and illness.

But Bryant has been practicing well lately, and he is flashing the raw talent that had coaches excited when he fell to them on draft day.

“He’s making progress, no doubt about it,” offensive coordinator Todd Haley said. “When you start talking about those guys, you’re talking about big picture, special teams, where do they fit in?”

The Steelers dress five receivers every week. The fifth, Darrius Heyward-Bey, dresses because he is a contributor on special teams. Bryant does not play on special teams. He faces the same dilemma that Derek Moye did last season.

Moye, at 6-5, was the tallest receiver on the roster a year ago and a red-zone threat, but he only dressed for seven games because he did not play special teams.

“This is a highly competitive situation when you’re talking about those 4s, 5s and 6s at position groups like receiver,” Haley said. “Our saying is the more you can do. So the more you can have the special-teams coach need you, the offense need you, those will all be factors in helping you get a helmet on Sundays.”

Bryant, who entered the draft a year early after his junior year, only started for one season at Clemson, but he was highly productive. Seven of his 42 receptions last season were for touchdowns.

Mann loved his ability to track the ball in college, and Bryant said he is accomplished at running the fade route in the end zone, even though he didn’t show off those skills on a consistent basis in training camp.

“I definitely feel like I can help, but I’ll just wait and see what happens,” Bryant said. “I have to continue to work. I’m patient with it. I’m staying focused and leaving it in coach’s hands.”

If and when Bryant plays this season, it likely will be at the expense of Heyward-Bey or running back Dri Archer, who also plays limited snaps on offense. As a former head coach, Haley knows the difficult decision a head coach faces when it comes to which 45 players are active on game days.

“I would say there are a lot of open discussions going on among the staff with coach Tomlin,” Haley said in regards to which players are active from week to week. “There are open lines of communication, and all we can [do] is report the news and say whether a guy is making progress. Having been in his seat, it’s a tough job because you only get so many helmets. Special teams, obviously, is a critical part of winning and losing on Sundays.”