After signing a hefty contract extension in 2015, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant hasn’t exactly performed up to expectations. The Cowboys have already hinted he could be on his way out of Dallas, and a new report tells us other NFL teams no longer consider him an elite receiver.
Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report had this to say about how Bryant is currently viewed in the league.
“There are few teams in the NFL, if any, that believe Dez Bryant is still a major force at receiver, Freeman said.” “Consider the phrases some teams used with me to describe him: ‘possession receiver,’ ‘lost a step,’ ‘second or third option.’
“He’s viewed by some teams as a rapidly declining talent, and many wonder if he can be a great receiver again.”
Knowing he potentially faces a pay cut, or even worse — a release — Bryant recently defended himself.
“I’m still grinding. I feel like I’m grinding more than ever because of me, not because of nobody else Bryant said, via 105.3 The Fan. It’s something that I want to do. It’s something I feel like I have to do.
“I let a lot of things get in the way that should have never got in the way. I’m ready to make my mark. I don’t care what nobody is talking about. I couldn’t care less.”
Bryant’s defense and Freeman’s observations come on the heels of executive vice president, Stephen A. Jones, comparing the Bryant decision to some former, legendary departed Cowboys.
Despite Bryant’s vow to get himself back to his 2014 and earlier form, the Cowboys have a big decision to make. Bryant has dealt with injuries and has not had a 1,000-plus yard campaign since 2014. But even healthy in 2017, Bryant caught only 52.3 percent of his targets for a total of 838 yards and six touchdowns.
His 2018 salary cap cost equates to $16.5 million, which is 8.91 percent of the Cowboys total cap space. Bryant signed a five-year, $70 million deal in 2015, with $32 million of that guaranteed.
With free agency approaching and the Cowboys needing to take care of other players and contract situations, something should give here soon in regards to Bryant.