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Steelers trade Martavis Bryant to Oakland Raiders

Martavis Bryant is finally getting his wish for a change of scenery.

The Steelers have traded Bryant to the Raiders for the No. 79 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh announced Thursday night.

A frustrated Bryant requested a trade last October after falling behind JuJu Smith-Schuster in the wide-receiver rotation. The former Clemson star fell down the depth chart due to a drug-related suspension that wiped out his entire 2016 season.

At 6-foot-4 with the speed and playmaking ability to take the lid off a defense, Bryant is a throwback to former owner Al Davis' infamous fetish for dangerous deep threats. Derek Carr will be throwing to an overhauled receiving corps this season, with Bryant and former Packers Pro Bowler Jordy Nelson joining top target Amari Cooper and tight end Jared Cook.

Bryant's unique combination of size, speed and freakish athleticism once prompted Ben Roethlisberger to suggest it was time for the enigmatic wideout to "become the best in the world." Prior to the suspension, NBC analyst Cris Collinsworth anointed Bryant "as talented as anybody playing in football right now."

Although Bryant got off to a slow start last season, he was playing his best ball at the end of year. For the price of a third-round pick, he's well worth a flier in Jon Gruden's new offense.

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