2:56pm: A source with knowledge of the situation tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that “nothing would be happening soon” in regard to Bryant’s contract. That suggests no deal is imminent, though it doesn’t necessarily mean that the two sides won’t work it out prior to the July 15 deadline.

12:04pm: Mike Fisher of 105.3 The Fan (link via CBSDFW.com) paints a more positive picture of Bryant’s negotiations with the Cowboys, suggesting that the two sides have a good chance of finalizing a long-term agreement sometime after the holiday weekend and before the July 15 deadline. Sources tell Fisher that the Dallas front office, led by owner Jerry Jones, wants to avoid any negativity or potential unhappiness for Bryant, and hopes to make a “positive mark” heading into the 2015 season.

The two sides essentially agreed to take a break from contract talks during the long weekend, but are optimistic that an agreement can be reached soon, according to Fisher, who adds that one sticking point is the guaranteed money involved — when it will be paid and how much of it will be fully guaranteed.

8:55am: Last weekend, we heard that the Cowboys had a face-to-face meeting with Dez Bryant‘s agent Tom Condon for the first time in months, which was considered a positive sign for the possibility of the two sides working out a contract extension for the star receiver. However, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), the sitdown didn’t necessarily result in any forward momentum toward a deal. Here’s the latest on the Bryant negotiations:

• A source tells Cole that “no progress” was made between the Cowboys and Bryant’s camp at last week’s meeting. Per Cole, the Cowboys are – at least for now – unwilling to budge off their standing long-term offer, which features about $20MM in guaranteed money. That proposal also includes additional money becoming guaranteed in later years.
• According to Cole, the Cowboys believe they have the leverage in negotiations, since they don’t think Bryant would actually sit out a regular season game. Not only is Dallas skeptical that the wideout would miss regular season action after he couldn’t entirely stay away from the team’s offseason activities, but the club also believes Bryant can’t afford to miss out on pay checks. Based on his $12.823MM franchise tender, the 26-year-old would forfeit about $754K per week if he holds out during the regular season.
• July 15 is the deadline for the Cowboys and Bryant to work out a multiyear extension, so the two sides have just under two weeks to reach an agreement. Otherwise, Bryant will have to play on his one-year tender in 2015, if he wants to play at all.

For the first time in almost four months, Dez Bryant‘s agent, Tom Condon, had a face-to-face summit with the Cowboys, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com.

This is a positive development for Bryant’s hopes at a contract extension, since Bryant, unlike fellow 2010 first-rounder Demaryius Thomas, showed some goodwill by making scant appearances during Cowboys workouts this summer after being franchise-tagged. Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told media he’d push for a Bryant extension, but noted that a lot of work remains.

Bryant hasn’t signed his franchise tender that would pay him $12.82MM this year, a figure that doubles as Dallas’ second-highest financial commitment behind Tony Romo‘s renegotiated $14.97MM number.

The former Oklahoma State target’s threatened to miss regular-season games despite the threat of losing nearly $800K per missed contest. Archer speculates the only benefit Bryant could possibly have in skipping games would be if the team caved on its previous stance that it could re-franchise him next year. This stipulation exists in Greg Hardy‘s contract, but Jerry Jones‘ only public comments on this matter have been another Bryant tag is in play if the sides can’t come to an agreement by July 15.

Bob Sturm and Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News recently hosted a pair of digital chats with Cowboys fans, and Dez Bryant‘s uncertain contract situation predictably played a major role in those conversations. Sturm, after pointing out that an elite wide receiver generally does not offer the same type of value as an elite quarterback, left tackle, pass rusher, or corner, explains why Bryant is an exception to that rule and notes that owner Jerry Jones fully appreciates Bryant’s value to the franchise. As such, Sturm does not believe that Jones is panicking, and although the July 15 deadline to get a long-term deal worked out may be too close for comfort for Dallas fans, it is an eternity away for someone like Jones. Sturm still believes a deal will get done, and that it will probably happen right before deadline day.

There are some who believe that the Cowboys simply do not want to offer a long-term deal to Bryant, who has had some off-field concerns in his past. But Sturm’s comments regarding Jones’ love of Bryant belie that idea, and Cowlishaw believes the possibility that the Cowboys really don’t want to do a long-term deal with Bryant is very slim. Instead, even though there is a chance that a receiver like Demaryius Thomas, A.J. Green, or Julio Jones will break the bank before Bryant gets a new contract, thereby forcing the Cowboys to fall in line with a $100MM+ mega-deal, they appear willing to take that risk and just let the process run its course, confident in the knowledge that they will get a deal done in the end.

Sturm reiterates that no one really knows what Bryant’s demands are, or what the Cowboys are willing to offer. The last proposal that the Cowboys extended included a contract with a value of over $100MM but with just $20MM or so in guaranteed money, which would be less than market value for someone like Bryant. If Dallas has not bettered that offer–and it sounds as if the two sides might not have had substantive discussions in months–then public perception would certainly be on Bryant’s side. Ultimately, the Cowboys will probably have to raise the guaranteed money to the $30-35MM range, which would give him more guarantees than any receiver not named Calvin Johnson.

And reading between the lines, that appears to be how this stalemate will be resolved. Sturm applauds the hardline stance that the Cowboys have taken with Bryant, especially considering how willing the team used to be to hand out massive contracts to players like Marion Barber and Jay Ratliff, but they realize how valuable Bryant is to the franchise, and Bryant realizes that, for all of his talent, the current CBA climate does not offer him a great deal of leverage. So even if the next couple of weeks make Cowboys fans sweat a bit, the prediction here–not a bold one, to be sure–is that Bryant will be playing his home games in Dallas for the foreseeable future.

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett confirmed to reporters, including Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (on Twitter) that wide receiver Dez Bryant is on hand today. The star wide receiver will not practice with his team, however.

Bryant recently attempted to regain some leverage by suggesting he was prepared to sit out regular season games if an extension isn’t in place. However, when speaking to reporters yesterday, owner Jerry Jones didn’t seem to put much stock in that. Jones said that he has “no doubt” Bryant will be on the field for Dallas’ Week 1 game against the Giants. Last year, Bryant became the first player in Dallas history to have three straight seasons with at least 85 receptions, 1,200 receiving yards, and 12 touchdown receptions, but he has limited leverage until he’s eligible to hit the open market.

Because he has yet to sign his one-year franchise tender, Bryant can’t be fined for missing this week’s minicamp, or August’s training camp. However, if Bryant were to start missing regular season games, he’d lose nearly $753K per week. After Bryant appeared in Texas today, however, it’s even harder to envisioning him following through on that threat.

The Cowboys and Bryant have until July 15 to reach a multiyear deal. Do you take today’s development as a sign that the two sides are nearing an agreement?