NFL
Dez Bryant Isn’t Worth Vet Minimum
Times like this make you wish you just took the Baltimore Ravens deal. Controversial star wide receiver Dez Bryant is still a free agent—and the season is 15 (and counting) days away. Among the reasons why Bryant refused the Ravens deal was because he wanted a one-year “prove it” contract. That deal, however, would not work for the Ravens’ salary cap. As a result, Bryant decided to take the high road. Here’s why he shouldn’t have.
Leverage
Whether Bryant and his agent know it or not, Bryant is in a position of vulnerability. After his explosive 2014 season, Bryant hasn’t been the same player. While he is still a perennial red zone threat, his explosiveness on a multitude of other routes has dwindled.
Whether testing the 2019 free agency market is in his best interest or not, $7 million a year is more than a fair offer for Dez Bryant at this point in his career. By not entertaining the only contract offer he was given, the former Cowboys receiver might come off as ungrateful.
“Garrett Guys”
Production apparently wasn’t the only thing that was dwindling in former star receiver Dez Bryant. After being cut, Bryant didn’t hesitate to aim at a multitude of men in the Cowboys organization for his departure. Among Scott Linehan and Derek Dooley, Bryant also took the chance to throw the Cowboys’ 2017 captains under the bus—players that Bryant called “Garrett Guys.”
Among those names included: tight end Jason Witten, quarterback Dak Prescott, and kicker Dan Bailey. Maybe Bryant is trying to draw sympathy, but calling out your teammates isn’t the way to net yourself a new deal.
Hard Knocks
Dez Bryant recently visited the Cleveland Browns, desperately trying to get on an NFL team prior to the beginning of the season. While Bryant left Cleveland without a contract, coach Jackson took the time to feel Bryant out and to generate an understanding of what Bryant can bring to an extremely confident Cleveland team.
Bryant didn’t hesitate to make it clear that he and the Cowboys organization didn’t gel. The main thing Bryant said he was looking for from the Browns office was “realness,” something he apparently didn’t get from the Cowboys. In this regard, it is easy to understand where the receiver is coming from.
However, it’s clear that he wants to do things his way, not the organization’s way. If Bryant maintains this mindset, that won’t be good for his future—or his chances of playing next season.
