Commanders' latest addition raises alarm bells in wide receiver room

The Washington Commanders added to their wide receiver room with an intriguing signing before Tuesday's padded practice. Those in power liked what they saw from Martavis Bryant following two separate visits to the building. He signed on the dotted line, with wayward kicker Ramiz Ahmed sacrificed after failing to meet increased standards once Riley Patterson came into the fold.

Bryant is someone Dan Quinn knows well. He was on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad after being reinstated in 2023 without ever doing enough to surge into the team's plans. Whether the former Clemson star can hit the ground running to force his way onto the 53-man roster is anyone's guess, but his arrival should raise the urgency for those in seemingly cemented spots.

Despite the fact Bryant hasn't played a competitive down since 2018, the Commanders wouldn't be bringing in him just for the sake of it. He's 6-foot-4 with a wide wing span and dependable hands. His 14 touchdowns over the first two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers indicate he can be a red-zone force. Picking up the playbook quickly is the biggest challenge with only a few short weeks remaining until final cuts.

Martavis Bryant's arrival raises urgency in Commanders wideout room

This should sound alarm bells in the receiving room. General manager Adam Peters isn't hanging around if he feels like improvements can be made. If players don't step up and make their chances count, they aren't going to last long under this new regime.

Bryant won't be worrying about ruffling feathers. He's here to get another opportunity and repay the faith shown in him by the Commanders. His once-promising career came to an abrupt halt thanks to a season-long suspension in 2016 that he violated once again in 2018. Roger Goodell only lifted his lengthy ban in November last year, which represents a last-chance saloon scenario for the wideout in no uncertain terms.

The pass-catcher will be 33 years old during the campaign, but he's got less tread on the tires than most aging players. Bryant is also eager to make up for some lost time. This should serve as a warning to other Commanders receivers to step up their respective performance levels.

A tough test awaits Bryant, there's no getting away from that. It's been a long time since the 2014 fourth-round selection put together a decent run of performances. He'll need to impress quickly in pursuit of making the roster or the practice squad - something that won't go overlooked by the player in a last-ditch attempt to salvage something from his career.

The fact this move got Quinn's seal of approval is notable. He spent time with Bryant last season, so this move doesn't happen unless the head coach was happy enough with the player's work ethic and overall character. The T.L. Hanna High School product made a ton of costly mistakes, so proving he's changed is arguably the biggest battle of all.

Nobody should be expecting miracles from Bryant. However, there will be one or two wideouts nervously looking over their shoulders after he impressed enough to warrant a closer examination of his credentials in the coming weeks.

Bryant's arrival and how it impacts others will be something to watch closely.

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