The Dallas Cowboys took a chance on troubled former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant last year, signing him to the practice squad.
This came after Bryant — not in the league since he was a member of the then-Oakland Raiders back in 2018 — was reinstated by the NFL following an indefinite suspension.
Bryant, 32, did not suit up for the team in a regular-season game. He was ultimately released from the practice squad earlier this year before being signed to a futures deal with the ‘Boys.
It appears that the team has now moved on from the experiment. NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero reported on Wednesday that the Cowboys have outright released Bryant. His report also indicates that other teams are expected to be interested in the former star pass-catcher.
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Bryant jumped on to the scene after being a fourth-round pick of the Steelers out of Clemson back in 2014. He recorded 76 receptions for 1,314 yards and 14 touchdowns in his first two seasons.
That’s when off-field issues got the best the wide receiver. He was suspended the entire 2016 season for a second violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy. In December of 2018 as a member of the Raiders, Bryant was suspended indefinitely for another violation of the aforementioned policy. He has not played in a regular-season game since.
What makes this move so surprising is that the Dallas had gone out of its way to take a chance on Bryant. It was looking for depth behind the likes of CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks and Jalen Tolbert. Bryant obviously won’t be providing that.