The Cowboys dominated the Friday NFL news cycle by releasing Dez Bryant and doing so without offering the acclaimed wide receiver a chance to stay with the team at a reduced rate. That move may have been amendable to Bryant, despite the receiver’s previous comments not appearing to indicate as such.
A first-time free agent, Bryant said in an interview with the NFL Network’s Jane Slater (Twitter link) he would have accepted a pay cut if the Cowboys offered. Dallas did not offer to keep Bryant on a lesser salary. The 29-year-old wideout expected the team to propose a pay cut. While it’s unclear how much of a salary reduction Bryant would have accepted, the Cowboys weren’t interested and made the odd decision to release their all-time leader in touchdown receptions more than a month into free agency.
As part of the five-year, $70MM extension he signed just before the 2015 franchise tag deadline, Bryant was scheduled to make $12.5MM in base salary and comprise $16.5MM of Dallas’ cap this season.
The juncture of this cut came largely because Jerry Jones has long had an affinity for the mercurial pass-catcher, and it took convincing for the team’s top decision-maker to sign off on a release, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (video link).
“Jerry Jones, he loved me to death, and I loved him too,” Bryant told Slater. “I honestly believe in my heart that this was a hard decision for him. But when it’s five, six guys at a table against one guy, you got to do it.”
Bryant is not making it a secret he’d like to join one of the Cowboys’ top rivals, but ESPN.com’s Chris Mortensen reports (on Twitter) a landing in Philadelphia, Washington or New York does not look especially promising at the moment. The Redskins are not believed to be interested in the ninth-year player.
“Being in the division is a huge possibility it’s something that I want,” Bryant said in the interview (Twitter link). “It’s personal. I’m tired of being the scapegoat and I’m going to keep proving that on and off the field.”
It will obviously be more difficult for Bryant to command the type of money he could have had the Cowboys made this move a month ago, but he’s likely to generate some interest soon.
Redskins
Packers
Bears
Only if they are looking for a sequel to the Victor Cruz experiment.
CLEVELAND
Oh yeah, him and Josh Gordon would wreck some havoc…and would be ok together on the field too.
CLEVELAND
Greedy Has Been
Imagine if he went to Philly to get back at Dallas and had a chance for a ring. Jeffery, Bryant, Agholor, and Mike Wallace at WR plus Ertz and Rodgers at TE. Probably not enough passes going around. Or if he went to NYG alongside Beckham and Marshall…I guess Zeke will have 2k rushing yards this year.
No thanks, don’t need that garbage in Philly.
Dear Philly,
Please sign Dez. He’ll be great for your team chemistry and a few dozen dropped balls along the way.
Signed
Cowboys fan
All philly has is garbage!
I guess that’s what it takes to win a super bowl.
You’re buggin
Bunch of BS Dez you just said a few months ago He’ll no to a pay cut!!! Now that you’re unemployed!
Gonna call a spade a spade here… You’re an idiot Chun… So Chun, in an interview by the MEDIA, when asked if they would take a pay cut at current job, would say of course to the MEDIA…
So What! Bottom line He’s not with Dallas anymore. He’s slow got zero route skills and a Big mouth.
I would be okay if Bryant went to the Browns
If not there, why not Tampa or the Chargers and give Phillip Rivers a chance to do something before he retires
Like lead the league in dropped passes? Bryant has to learn how to hang onto a football again. I don’t know if he got too comfortable in Dallas or just didn’t care but he dropped way too many passes to be an elite WR anymore. His route running besides. I don’t think he will be in as
big of demand as a lot of people do. Too much money too much ego not enough production.
Well a change of scenery would be good for him then.
Too much of a distraction, pouting on sidelines etc, what team needs that?
Chun you’re clueless… So you get interviewed BY THE MEDIA about the job you want to stay at knowing your contract implications… They ask you would you take a pay cut. What would you say? “Oh yeah boss give me a pay cut…” Let’s just use our brain every now and then…
Yep Chun… you get interviewed by the MEDIA if your gonna take a pay cut next year to work… I don’t know about you but I would say HELL YEA… Some people should be relieved of posting abilities.
Wish the Ravens still had some money. Dez in addition to Crabtree would be ridiculous upgrades to a weak receiving team.
Must really really be bad if Crabtree is an upgrade over someone.
Buffalo Bills on a one year contract?
The Giants bring Dez on board so he can give Beckham humility lessons?
After the cooks trade, could he land in New England for a 1 yr deal?
Got to get signed soon, Momma needs a new pair of shoes…8” stilettos in the latest ladies of the evening style.
Jets
Have you ever had Dez Bryant on your fantasy football team? I always draft him early, and always trade him for less. he’s had one good fantasy year in the Last 5 Years and is always been a WR2.