Now that Josh Gordon has appeared at Browns training camp, Dez Bryant is “no longer on the front burner” in Cleveland, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, who adds the Browns and Bryant did not come close to reaching a contract agreement during the Bryant’s recent visit. While the Browns will keep tabs on Bryant, they’re not expected to sign him in the near future.
The Browns are searching for help at wideout after trading former first-round pick Corey Coleman to the Bills last week, and while Bryant wasn’t initially returning general manager John Dorsey‘s phone calls, the veteran pass-catcher finally agreed to come in for a meeting. Speaking on a conference call earlier today, Cleveland head coach Hue Jackson said Gordon’s presence at camp wouldn’t affect the club’s plans with Bryant (but Cabot’s sources say that isn’t the case).
“No, I think one has nothing to do with the other in my opinion,” Jackson said. “Again, things will unfold as they will. The most important thing we know is that Josh is here, and again, we’ve had a good conversation with Dez and until he’s a Cleveland Brown, I can only worry about the guys that are on this football team.”
Bryant, 29, is reportedly looking for a one-year, “prove-it” deal and wants to play for a contending club. Whether the Browns will fulfill the latter requirement in 2018 is unclear, but Bryant could conceivably wait until a wide receiver injury elsewhere opens a roster spot.
While a number of teams have been tangentially linked to Bryant since he was released by the Cowboys, no clubs aside from the Ravens and Browns have been directly interested in the former first-round pick. In fact, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com has reported many teams are unwilling to consider Bryant even at the minimum salary.
Gordon, for his part, is currently not allowed to practice after the Browns placed him on the non-football injury list earlier today. However, Jackson did allow Gordon could be available for Cleveland’s regular season opener on September 9.
Baltimore Ravens were a contender but Dez Bryant declined that deal. To be fair, the Ravens wanted to get him on a three year deal and Bryant probably thought he’d have more offers. (I thought he’d have more offers too)
Are the Ravens really a contender?
I don’t think their roster is that special, but they could at least be a contender if you squint a little. Plus they were a win away from the playoffs last year.
Ravens had the best turnover ratio in the league and yet missed the playoffs so there are obviously some weaknesses. I thought they had a good draft though so they will be a team worth watching.
No offers so maybe he should have taken what he could get
He is not a good fit for a team that is committed to a youth movement but more veteran teams may take a look at him if positional depth becomes a problem because of injuries. Worse case has him joining Terrell Owens in one of the new leagues.
Good. Dez would be more distraction than solution for the Browns, who don’t need distractions and do need solutions.
Gordon and dez on the outside with Landry in the slot would have been fun to watch. If the locker room only had enough room for that much personality.
Agree 100%. And there’s no reason that we can’t afford him either. 1 year 10 mil with let’s say 4 mil guaranteed. Imagine if Cleveland had dez and Gordon on the outside and callaway and Landry in the slot. With Higgins coming in occasionally. Plus Njoku. We’d have the best receivers in the league
Receiving core ^
*corps
What’s the going rate for a semi-healthy, aged, windbag of a wide receiver?
Don’t do it Cleveland, you don’t need this guy.
Dez just put the final nail in his playing days. He’s money hungry and greedy no need for that on any team in the NFL.
Of course owners would never dream of being money hungry and greedy….lol.