One of the biggest storylines in camp for the Oakland Raiders this offseason has been the fluctuating performance of wide receiver Martavis Bryant. As a result, it appears head coach Jon Gruden has come up with a nickname for the new wideout.
Bryant's arrival in Oakland has been riddled with notable performances both good and bad. According to Scott Blair of NBC Sports, it is for that reason Gruden refers to him as the “white tiger” heading into the regular season:
“We’re calling Martavis the white tiger,” Gruden said Wednesday. “I used to go to Busch Gardens in Tampa. We call [receiver Joey] Galloway the white tiger in Tampa. You go to Busch Gardens and they’ve got a white tiger. You go 12 times or 13 times, the white tiger was always in his cage. But the white tiger came out today. Bryant came out.
“I don’t know if you get that analogy, but sometimes he comes out to play and sometimes he doesn’t. It’s good to see him because he’s really special, like the white tiger.”
Gruden's designation may seem a bit peculiar, however, there is certainly plenty of truth given Bryant's track record. It is easy to see that he clearly has all the measurables of a prototypical No. 1 wide receiver. His rare combination of size and speed makes him a matchup nightmare for cornerbacks. He showed flashes of his potential and even looked like one of the premier deep threats in the NFL at times. Unfortunately, Bryant was never able to find his footing in Pittsburgh and it resulted in him not seeing eye-to-eye with the Steelers organization.
His struggles have largely continued with the Raiders due to his failure to get a grasp of the offense. That said, Gruden is hoping he can find a way to bring out the “white tiger” full-time. Oakland already has a legitimate No. 1 option in wide receiver Amari Cooper while the addition of wide receiver Jordy Nelson helps bring some stability. If Bryant can find a way to be more consistent he will be the factor that pushes this receiving corps over the top.
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