The Steelers surprisingly traded Martavis Bryant to the Raiders on Thursday night for a third-round draft pick, the 79th selection overall in this year’s draft, ending the troubled receiver's term in Pittsburgh.
The move was something of a surprise after Kevin Colbert shot down reports that emerged after the season that the team was shopping Bryant.
"As we've stated throughout the winter, we weren't interested in trading Martavis," Colbert said. "Teams were calling us. Really, when they called, they weren't offering anything that would interest us in trading a player of his caliber. When it got to the third round, that was something that was interesting for us and we pulled the trigger on that deal. We wish Martavis nothing but the best. We're happy to have an extra pick (Friday). Now, we've got three picks (in the second and third rounds) and since we don't have a fourth-round pick, this actually makes up for that vacancy. We're excited about what we'll be able to do."
Bryant, 26, had an up-and-down career with the Steelers after joining them as a fourth-round pick in 2014. He exploded onto the scene that year, catching 26 passes for 549 yards and eight touchdowns in eight games.
But he was suspended for four games after that season for marijuana usage. He returned in 2015 and caught 50 passes for 765 yards and six scores, but was suspended in the offseason again in 2016 for the entire season for failing a drug test.
Bryant returned to the Steelers last season and lost playing time to JuJu Smith-Schuster. He caught 50 passes for 603 yards and three scores but was again suspended, this time by the Steelers, for one game after making negative statements about Smith-Schuster on Twitter.
The addition of the third-round pick gives the Steelers seven remaining picks in the final six rounds of this draft, including the 60th pick today. They then have the pick acquired for Bryant (75th) and their own third-round pick at 92.
They also have four remaining picks to be made on Saturday, as the draft concludes with its final four rounds, including two picks each in the fifth and seventh rounds.
The Steelers traded their fourth-round pick to San Francisco as part of the deal that acquired tight end Vance McDonald.
"To be able to get a pick back and pick up a higher pick than the four we gave up, it was intriguing to us," Colbert said. "Again, it was something they pursued and continued to pursue. When it got to that point, we said let’s go."
But it does leave the Steelers with a vacancy in their wide receiver corps. Antonio Brown and Smith-Schuster will be the starters and Darrius Heyward-Bey and Justin Hunter remain, but slot man Eli Rogers remains an unsigned free agent. He is recovering from an ACL injury.
The Steelers could re-sign Rogers at some point this offseason, but will still likely be in the market for a receiver to replace Bryant's big-play ability.
"We have seven picks, so there are plenty of good players left," Colbert said. "I’m hoping we can add more good players. And who knows? We’re not going to commit to a position because there might be someone available who we didn’t think was going to be available and we’ll take him."