Cowboys owner Jerry Jones wants Dez Bryant to be a member of the Cowboys next offseason (via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). Of course, it remains to be seen if Dallas can accomplish that with the wide receiver’s $16.5MM cap hit looming large. 
“The reason we don’t discuss contract is that it is implies there is an issue with the contract,” Jones said. “That is not fair to imply that there is anything until we sit down and announce we have done something one way or another. It takes two. It takes him and us to do anything with his contract. I’m going to leave it at that. You have asked me as I sit here do you want him on the team next year, and my answer is yes.”
Jones indicated that the Cowboys will meet with Bryant and/or his reps before free agency starts on March 14. We shouldn’t expect the Cowboys to pitch Bryant on an extension, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Rapoport’s “understanding” is that the Cowboys will ask Bryant to take a pay cut or adjust the contract in some other fashion for the upcoming year. Still, moving on seems like the last resort for the Cowboys, he says.
Bryant is due a $12.5MM base salary this season. If the wide receiver is not amendable to an outright pay cut, the team look for him to slash his base pay with an equal raise in incentives. If Bryant can come close to reprising his 2014 season (88 receptions for 1,320 yards and 16 touchdowns), then he’ll be well worth the money. If he falls closer to his last three seasons (an average of 50 catches for 678 yards and six scores), then the Cowboys will want to pay him appropriately.
It’s often sad seeing a former stud suddenly fall off the cliff and do anything he can just hang on. Especially if the former stud help will you a Fantasy Football Championship, back in the day. lol
The only reason the end of Dez Bryant’s career and his current contract are an issue is the salary cap. Dallas, Washington have always been rich teams and have no issue honouring their contracts to veterans. The problem now is that if Bryant is not providing the same level of performance, the Cowboys need to be able to spend his salary elsewhere.
I’m sure the Cowboys would try to pay Bryant somewhere off the books if they could but that risk collusion charges and all kinds of trouble. Jones still might have some kind of post-football offer for Bryant. It would have to be unofficial though.
Bryant needs to face reality.
His owner is 2 faced saying he wants to keep him until reality sets in and HE GONE
You have no idea what your talking bout
Wanting to keep him and being able to keep him are two different things.
Has he fallen off though? There’s a lot of different factors for his down numbers, one of which is the fact a new QB is throwing to him. It took Dez 3 years to get a rapport with Romo on the field, and it reflected in his numbers. From 2012-14. In 2015 with Cassell/ Weeden, down numbers. Now we’re in year 3 with Dak, so things could trend up from here. I’d be hesitant to cut a talent like Dez right now for those reasons.