Martavis Bryant struggling to pick up Raiders' playbook

The Oakland Raiders took a few calculated risks this offseason, and it appears one of them may not be paying off.

Oakland acquired wide receiver Martavis Bryant in an April trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a third-round pick. Bryant was expected to bolster the Raiders' receiving corps after catching 50 passes for 603 yards and three touchdowns last season. However, he appears to be struggling to adapt to his new surroundings, said the NFL Network's James Jones, according to Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith.

"I just had a chance to speak with Coach Olson and he said ... there’s probably nobody that can compete with [Bryant] talent-wise," Jones said. "But they said he’s not picking up the playbook, and that’s the reason of a little frustration right now, because they want to get him on the field but he’s not able to grasp the playbook yet.

"They’ve only got him lining up in one spot to try to slow it down and help him out. They need him to pick it up."

Jones played for the Raiders in 2014, in between two separate stints with the Green Bay Packers.

Bryant also drew criticism from Raiders head coach Jon Gruden earlier this month.

"He's got to get out here and play better," Gruden said Saturday, according to the Raiders' official website. "He's got to get out here. He's in a competitive situation, and right now, a lot of the other receivers have had a nice camp.

"He's just got to learn the offense. He's got to stay out here. He's had some illnesses. He's got to get on the field. He's got to master the offense and become more versatile, and that's the key to making this team better."

Bryant has the potential to be a potent red-zone threat for the Raiders, but for the time being, he has his work cut out for him.