Here’s a weird one for you. Most of the focus surrounding Martavis Bryant has been off the field and his still pending Week One stats. But there may be a new issue with him. A hip injury, as implied by Ed Bouchette during yesterday’s chat over on the Post Gazette.
This is the entire exchange.
“EDinVA: I’m big on Martavis Bryant this year. He owes us a year. Wat’s the general sense?
Ed Bouchette: Everybody, and I mean everybody, is on a wait and see basis with him.
Ed Bouchette: It may have more to do with his hip”
That’s certainly an M. Night Shyamalan type twist. There’s never been any indication of Bryant dealing with a hip injury, though to be fair, he hasn’t been around to be listed on any sort of injury report. At last check, Bryant was back in Pittsburgh but was not with the team to take part in Phase One of the offseason with the rest of the team. The story was he hadn’t completed his rehab/prevention plan as part of his reinstatement agreement with the league but maybe there’s an injury at play, too.
For what it’s worth, Bouchette said earlier in the chat he expected Bryant to be back for OTAs, which will begin in a week. If healthy and clean off the field, Bryant will assume the Z receiver role in the Steelers’ offense and be another playmaker in what could be the league’s most potent offense. It was a position they struggled to find consistency in last year.
There clearly isn’t a lot of information to go off on right now. Hopefully there will be a follow up with this statement to see if it’s an actual issue and if so, how serious any injury might be.
