Martavis Bryant is back in the NFL. The Washington Commanders announced on Tuesday that the team has signed Bryant and released kicker Ramiz Ahmed in a related transaction. The former Pittsburgh Steelers standout receiver was released by the Dallas Cowboys earlier this offseason.
"Adding another receiver just into the mix, we thought was the right thing to go, right here in camp," head coach Dan Quinn said. "Martavis has a really cool skill set. He's got size and length and the ability to use him in the red zone, so when you see him today, he'll stand out. He looks like a linebacker playing wideout from a size standpoint."
Bryant spent last season on the Cowboys' practice squad. He last appeared in an NFL game back in 2018, before he was suspended by the league for violating the terms of his conditional reinstatement from a previous suspension. He spent the next few years player in the Indoor Football League, Canadian Football League, Fan Controlled Football, and XFL before catching on with Dallas last year. It's worth noting that Quinn was the defensive coordinator in Dallas last season.
"He's in really good shape," Quinn said. "And he's really hungry to prove it."
While he may not longer be in his prime, the 6'4 Bryant could still be used as a deep threat that can help open things up for an offense. As a rookie, Bryant recorded the NFL's longest touchdown catch that season (94 yards) and had an 88-yard touchdown catch the following season.
Bryant had one of the best individual games in Steelers playoff history in the divisional round of the 2015 playoffs. With Antonio Brown, Le'Veon Bell and DeAngelo Williams out with injuries, Bryant stepped up and had 194 all-purpose yards in Pittsburgh's 23-16 loss to the eventual champion Denver Broncos.
Suspensions have hindered the 32-year-old Bryant's career. He missed the entire 2016 and '19 seasons after violating the league's substance abuse policy. Bryant also served a four-game suspension to start the 2015 season.