Suspended wide receiver Martavis Bryant is encouraged by his reinstatement case but has not heard any new developments as of this week. The NFL has no official update on the matter.

That leaves the Pittsburgh Steelers, for now, operating as if Bryant’s presence in 2017 will be a bonus, not a guarantee. That likely won't change until Bryant completes a full offseason with the team.

Meanwhile, Sammie Coates, new acquisition Justin Hunter and others must complement Antonio Brown by preparing to get vertical this season.

“From a professional standpoint, we understand the nature of this business, that the train moves on,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “And we have been on it now for 12 months. Hopefully he will get the opportunity to maybe get onto the moving train.”

At least four young receivers have hopped aboard, including slot receiver Eli Rogers, the closest No. 2 receiving option the Steelers have on the roster.

Tomlin wasn’t asked about every Steelers receiver during the NFL owners meetings this week, but he called Hunter “big and fast,” and he sounded pleased with the Year 3 projections for Coates, who was essentially drafted as a fallback plan for Bryant.

“I expect him to take another leap,” Tomlin said of Coates. “I think he took a significant leap from Year No. 1 to Year No. 2, one that we expect. He faced some adversity throughout the journey, with injuries and so forth. I expect him to continue to grow, evolve and come with the level of preparedness that he had last year. And hopefully, with the level of improvement he had last year.”

Coates finished last season with 435 yards and two touchdowns, which isn’t a bad stat line for a second-year player, but not when nearly 100 percent of those yards came in the first five games. Coates played through two broken fingers and a groin injury that required offseason surgery. He never could find a rhythm on the field.

There’s no denying Coates is a gifted athlete. His 2017 campaign will be about resetting the confidence that helped him produce five straight games with at least one 40-plus-yard catch early last year.

Also on the outside, Cobi Hamilton returns on an exclusive-rights deal. Hunter’s on a one-year, prove-it deal, which could pay off if he gets open deep for Ben Roethlisberger. He's 6-foot-4 and has above-average speed. The Steelers can find creative ways to use that skill set.

Demarcus Ayers enters his second season after a late-2016 push for playing time. He’s not afraid of the spotlight. Darrius Heyward-Bey is a valuable special-teamer who can start games if necessary.

Sure, Bryant adds another dimension as a clear-cut No. 2 wideout, but the other options are intriguing. The Steelers didn’t overreach in free agency as a result.