NFL PLAYER NEWS

Steelers WR Bryant faces four-game suspension

The Sports Xchange

August 27, 2015 at 11:55 am.

Aug 14, 2015; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant (10) catches a touchdown pass past Jacksonville Jaguars defensive back Davon House (31) during the first6 quarter of a preseason NFL football game at EverBank Field. Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Aug 14, 2015; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant (10) catches a touchdown pass past Jacksonville Jaguars defensive back Davon House (31) during the first6 quarter of a preseason NFL football game at EverBank Field. Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant reportedly is facing a four-game suspension.

The punishment is for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy, league sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday. Bryant is appealing, Schefter reported.

The Steelers already will be without running back Le’Veon Bell (suspension) for the first two games and center Maurkice Pouncey (broken fibula) for probably half the season at least.

They also lost backup quarterback Bruce Gradkowski for the season with a hand injury, which prompted them to sign controversial Michael Vick to back up Ben Roethlisberger.

Bryant, a fourth-round pick by the Steelers last year, caught 26 passes for 549 yards and eight touchdowns in 10 games.