Oakland Raiders: 3 Players with something to prove vs. Seahawks
By Joel W. Cade
Martavis Bryant
The Raiders brought in Martavis Bryant to play the slot receiver. But his string of missing practices has earned him the moniker “white tiger” by Jon Gruden. The history of the white tiger moniker is very interesting. Needless to say, being a “white tiger” is not a good thing for Jon Gruden.
Bryant cannot afford to get on the bad side of another football team, having already been suspended for a season for violation of the leagues policy on substances of abuse. He missed the entire 2016 season to that suspension. There were even rumors of him being suspended heading into the 2018 season, though they appear unfounded to this point. Bryant is a gamble. He can play big or he can be a major distraction.
After his initial suspension, he returned to the Steelers only to cause internal turmoil. The drama got so bad that the Steelers went looking for a trade and found the Raiders as a willing partner. With the Raiders, Bryant is missing practices. He can be a dynamic player when he is healthy and his head is in the game. But those things have yet to occur during his tenure in Oakland.
Bryant needs to prove he can contribute and stay out of trouble. If not, this week may be his last as an Oakland Raider.