Dez Bryant - Pro Football Rumors

West Rumors: Bryant, Butler, Broncos

June 20th, 2018 at 7:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Somewhat recently, Dez Bryant connected himself to the 49ers as he scanned the landscape in hopes of latching on with a second NFL franchise. Now, others may be pointing in that direction as well. The 49ers have been the team to which Bryant’s been most connected, Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report writes. The 29-year-old wide receiver turned down an offer from the Ravens, and they moved on to Willie Snead. Now, Bryant is not expected to sign with a team before training camp. The 49ers made a concerted effort to avoid high-profile wideouts in free agency. However, Bryant’s price tag will not be what Sammy Watkins or Allen Robinson — two players the 49ers made a point to steer clear of — commanded, perhaps inducing the Niners to make an exception. San Francisco holds more than $46MM in cap space; that’s the third-most in the league. And without a proven tight end or much size at the receiver spot (none of the current cast expected to make the team is over 6-foot), they could be in need of a red zone threat like Bryant.

This will focus on wide receiver situations out west. Here’s the latest:

Although Brice Butler signed with the Cardinals a few months ago, he’s experienced a shaky offseason in the desert. He may not be a lock for their 53-man roster, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com writes. The Cards have a void opposite Larry Fitzgerald after losing multiple contributors, but they still have JJ Nelson and 2017 third-rounder Chad Williams, and drafted Christian Kirk. And the Cards just signed Greg Little as well, perhaps indicating they’re not happy with their receiver situation at present. Butler chose Arizona over a host of other suitors.
The Broncos added two receivers in the draft this year, and both Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton are locks to make the roster. This could leave a player the team was once high on out of a job. Carlos Henderson did not see the field as a rookie, spending all year on IR with a thumb injury. The 2017 third-round pick is now dealing with a hamstring malady, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic notes (subscription required). “(The injury) started in Phase 2 and hasn’t gotten better,” Vance Joseph said, via Jhabvala. “He’s got to get back on the field if he wants to make this football team.” Denver also has Jordan Taylor and Isaiah McKenzie vying for roster spots, with one of those two likely sticking around as the primary return man. Henderson produced eye-popping numbers at Louisiana Tech, and it would be a tad early for a team to give up on a third-rounder, but the slot target could be in danger of being cut by his first NFL team without having played in a regular-season game.
Speaking of injuries affecting camp battles, Brandon Marshall also had toe surgery this offseason, per Brady Henderson of ESPN.com. The Seahawks already shelved the 13th-year pass-catcher in minicamp because of a hamstring issue, and it appears Marshall — who missed most of 2017 due to ankle surgery — may have a tough time on multiple fronts in making the team. Beyond Doug Baldwin, the Seahawks have Tyler Lockett and now Jaron Brown. They drafted Amara Darboh in the third round last year, and Henderson notes they are high on 2017 seventh-rounder David Moore.

The Best Remaining NFL Free Agents

June 20th, 2018 at 12:31pm CST by Zachary Links

There are still plenty of impact free agents left on the board, including some big names. Here’s a look at some of the high-profile veterans that are still looking for work in advance of training camp:

Kaepernick probably stands as the most talented quarterback left on the open market, but his ongoing collusion case against the NFL complicated matters. It seems unlikely that he’ll land anywhere between now and the start of the season, but friend and former teammate Eric Reid probably has a better chance of signing somewhere, despite being in a similar boat. Recently, the duo was spotted working out together in California.

It seems like just yesterday that Murray was the league’s most fearsome running back. Unfortunately, Murray’s age has caught up to him to some extent and he was overshadowed last year in Tennessee by the younger Derrick Henry. The Titans dropped Murray in March and he has not found a new NFL home despite meeting with the Lions, Seahawks, and Dolphins since his release. Recently, the Saints tried to include Murray in their cattle call for running backs, but he declined the invite.

Peterson has lobbied the Texans, Saints, Packers, Panthers, Dolphins, and Rams to sign him, but we have yet to hear of any reciprocated interest from those clubs. It’s possible that Murray and Peterson won’t sign unless a running back injury opens up an opportunity for them. Teams could also steer clear of Peterson altogether given his desire for a starring role despite his lack of star performance over the last two years.

Bryant is the biggest name on this list, but we shouldn’t expect to see him sign anywhere until July. There have been conflicting reports on his market, but the latest word indicates that he is receiving interest, despite concerns about his demeanor in the locker room.

Dez Bryant Unlikely To Sign Until July

June 1st, 2018 at 4:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Dez Bryant likely won’t sign with a club before training camp begins in July, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Rapoport is told the wide receiver has received plenty of interest, but he’s staying patient until he finds the right opportunity.

The right opportunity, for Bryant, means a winning club with the right offense that will give him a one-year prove-it deal. Bryant has been unable to find the one-year deal he is seeking after rejecting a three-year, $21MM offer from the Ravens.

Rapoport’s report indicates that there is in fact a decent market for Bryant. Previously, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter heard that many teams were unwilling to consider the veteran, even at the league’s minimum salary.

Right now, it’s hard to say where Bryant will land. He has lobbied for the 49ers to sign him, but there has been no word of interest from SF. The Bills and Packers, meanwhile, do not appear to have him on the radar, despite the belief of some that he would be a logical fit. As Rapoport notes, a wide receiver injury in practice could open up a door somewhere for Bryant.

Bryant’s dropoff in performance is certainly a factor in his unemployment, but the perception that he has been difficult in the locker room is probably also a barrier to a deal. Even in a down 2017, Bryant managed 69 catches for 838 yards and six touchdowns.

The Best Remaining NFL Free Agents

June 1st, 2018 at 11:35am CST by Zachary Links

The biggest names in this year’s free agent class such as Kirk Cousins, Sammy Watkins, Allen Robinson, and Trumaine Johnson have long been spoken for, but plenty of notable players remain on the board here in June. With a hat tip to James Palmer of NFL.com (on Twitter), here’s a look at some high-profile veterans who are still seeking work this summer:

Of course, Kaepernick’s situation is more complicated than the rest. Lately, the only updates we’ve heard regarding Kaepernick have been tied to his pending collusion case against the NFL. Former teammate Reid is certainly closer to the NFL radar after an April meeting with the Bengals, but he also believes teams are shying away from him due to his participation in anthem protests. Reid filed a grievance of his own against the NFL in May and has been spotted working out with Kaepernick.

Unfortunately for Murray and Peterson, filing a grievance for age bias against running backs is not an option. The Titans kicked Murray to the curb in March and he has not found a new NFL home despite meeting with the Lions, Seahawks, and Dolphins since his release. Peterson has lobbied the Texans, Saints, Packers, Panthers, Dolphins, and Rams to sign him, but we have yet to hear of any reciprocated interest from those clubs. Given Peterson’s reluctance to be on the lower end of a timeshare in New Orleans last year, one has to imagine that Peterson will not be a real consideration for teams unless a starter gets injured in camp. Murray could be a more attractive option for teams. Although he averaged just 3.6 yards per tote with the Titans last year, he contributed in the passing game with 39 receptions.

Bryant says he has no regrets about turning down a three-year, $21MM offer from the Ravens, but right now it looks like he blew his opportunity at a solid free agent deal. Reportedly, many teams are unwilling to consider him for even the league minimum, so it seems unlikely that he’ll find the lucrative one-year contract he’s seeking. On the plus side, his former employer says multiple teams have checked in on him.

Things have been eerily quiet for Maclin after he was displaced by the Ravens, though the Eagles and Cowboys considered him internally in the spring. We also haven’t heard a peep about Decker since his spring meetings with the Raiders and Ravens. Both players are roughly in the same boat – they were 1,000-yard receivers in 2015, but they are on the wrong side of 30 and haven’t done much on the field in the last two years. Still, both profile as low-risk/high-reward signings.

Teams Have Asked Cowboys About Dez Bryant

May 29th, 2018 at 7:59pm CST by Ben Levine

Since rejecting the Ravens’ offer back in April, Dez Bryant hasn’t been able to generate a whole lot of reported interest from NFL teams. However, Cowboys’ Vice President Stephen Jones said plenty of teams have checked in on the team’s former star receiver.

“You know at the (NFL owners) meetings I have had different conversations about him,” Jones told Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Dallas Star-Telegram. “At the competition committee meeting, some of the coaches there speak to it. I’m sure other coaches have called our coaches and wanted input on him. The greatest thing about Dez is he is a fierce competitor. I think he is now more driven and more competitive than he has ever been. We wish him nothing but the best.”

After having spent eight years in Dallas, the Cowboys let go of the 29-year-old is mid-April. Bryant did get an offer from the Ravens, but the three-time Pro Bowler rejected the multiyear deal. Reports indicated that the receiver was seeking a lucrative one-year contract that would boost his value for next year’s free agency.

Despite his demands, Jones expressed surprise that Bryant still hasn’t caught on with a team.

“I am sure Dez is being thoughtful,” Jones said on Tuesday. ”I don’t know the details as to why he hasn’t picked a home. I am sure he is being very thoughtful about it. I am sure he has good people talking to him too. I am sure at the end of the day he is being thoughtful about what his next steps should be. I am sure he is working hard. No one is rooting for Dez more than we are.”

Of course, teams may be underwhelmed by Bryant’s 2017 season and are ignoring him entirely. The wideout played in 16 games for the first time since 2014, but he finished with only 69 receptions for 838 yards, and six touchdowns.

Eagles Notes: Foles, Bryant, Shittu

May 29th, 2018 at 2:40pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

A recent reported indicated that the Browns had offered the Eagles the 35th pick in the 2018 draft for Nick Foles at some point this offseason before they ultimately ended up trading for Tyrod Taylor. The report stated that the Eagles approached Foles with the deal, that Foles shot it down, and so the Eagles turned it down out of respect for his wishes.

Foles is now pushing back on that claim, saying there’s no truth to it. Foles said he “didn’t turn down any trade” and added that the first time he heard of the proposed deal was when people started texting him about the article (Twitter link via The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Zach Berman).

If the trade was indeed offered by the Browns and considered by the Eagles and it was not shot down by Foles, it’s an indicator that the Eagles are confident in the health of Carson Wentz as he continues to work his way back from a torn ACL.

Here’s some more news on the Eagles as they continue OTAs:

Despite Dez Bryant‘s stated desire to continue playing in the NFC East, it doesn’t seem like the Eagles will be bringing him in. Although the Eagles traded Torrey Smith and Alshon Jeffery will miss the entire offseason with a shoulder injury, Bryant isn’t a realistic option according to NJ.com’s Eliot Shorr-Parks. Parks writes that the odds of Bryant being brought in are “slim”, in part due to the team’s signing of Mike Wallace to help replace Smith.
Parks also notes that backup defensive tackle Aziz Shittu has been a standout at OTAs so far, and that he’s rapidly helping his stock. Shittu made several great plays during today’s OTA session, and Parks believes his chances of making the roster improved on Tuesday.
The Eagles opted to classify Mychael Kendricks’ release as a post-June 1 cut, meaning that they will spread out his dead money hit over two years instead of just one.

49ers Now On Dez Bryant’s Radar?

May 28th, 2018 at 9:22am CST by Sam Robinson

Dez Bryant‘s free agency stay has surpassed the 40-day mark, and the NFC East teams he announced were at the top of his list have yet to show interest in him.

It’s possible Bryant is willing to turn his attention elsewhere now that OTAs are in full swing. The eight-year wide receiver stirred the pot a bit on Instagram recently, responding to a question (h/t NinersNation.com) about what team he now wanted to play for in 2018 with “49ers.”

Bryant quickly deleted this reply, and the 49ers have not shown any known interest in him. But this response represents the latest clue from a player whose market resides in an interesting place.

A somewhat recent report suggested teams are not eager to sign the mercurial pass-catcher, whom the Cowboys cut three years into a five-year contract. In addition to the NFC East teams, the Packers have also kept the 29-year-old target at arm’s length. The Ravens have been the only known Bryant suitor, and he turned down their offer.

As for the 49ers, they already have a veteran possession-type wideout in Pierre Garcon. And Kyle Shanahan did not mince words earlier this offseason when he discussed the team’s reluctance toward overpaying for wide receiver help. They weren’t interested in this year’s top free agents, and Bryant is much older than both Sammy Watkins and Allen Robinson. San Francisco also added Dante Pettis and sixth-rounder Richie James in this year’s draft.

NFC North Notes: Packers, Dez, Vikes, Barr

May 23rd, 2018 at 8:22pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although the Packers have been linked to a possible Dez Bryant addition, quarterback Aaron Rodgers doesn’t see a fit, as Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com writes. “Well, we like young receivers, so I’m assuming that’s the way they’re going to keep going,” Rodgers said. “I don’t know why you’d cut Jordy [Nelson] and bring in Dez, but he’s a talented player. He’s going to end up somewhere. If he ends up here, we’ll obviously welcome him with open arms and get him up to speed as quick as possible.” Green Bay drafted three wideouts to team with incumbents Davante Adams, Randall Cobb, and Geronimo Allison, so as Rodgers notes, there’s probably not room for a veteran like Bryant on the club’s roster. The Packers, despite having been loosely connected to Bryant since he was released by the Cowboys, are not currently pursuing the 29-year-old pass-catcher.

Here’s more from the NFC North:

Linebacker Anthony Barr was not present for the Vikings‘ organized team activities this week, according to Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Under the terms of his fifth-year option, Barr is fully guaranteed a base salary north of $12MM for the 2018 season, but he likely still doesn’t want to place himself in undue injury peril given that he doesn’t have a long-term contract in place. Barr’s fifth-year option doesn’t contain any sort of workout clauses, so he’s not costing himself money by not attending voluntary sessions. As Goessling tweets, Barr was present for a Mike Zimmer football camp at the Vikings’ facility over the weekend, suggesting there is no acrimony in talks with Minnesota.
New Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst attempted to hire Ravens scout Milt Hendrickson as his assistant GM earlier this year, but Baltimore and GM Ozzie Newsome denied the request, as Bob McGinn of BobMcGinnFootball.com reports (Twitter link). Hendrickson has been with the Ravens since 2006, writes Zach Kruse of PackersWire.com, who adds Hendrickson worked alongside Gutekunst at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Hendrickson still lives in La Crosse, per McGinn, and could join the Packers’ staff in 2019.
Former Buccaneers defensive line coach Jay Hayes will serve as a Packers defensive consultant through at least training camp, per Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter links). While Hayes’ assignment currently only lasts through training, it sound as though there may be an opportunity for Hayes to stick around further. Hayes, who was fired by Tampa Bay in Feburary, previously served on the Bengals’ coaching staff for 13 years.

Community Tailgate: Where Will Dez Bryant Play In 2018?

May 20th, 2018 at 10:32am CST by Rory Parks

Dez Bryant sits atop PFR’s most recent ranking of the top 10 offensive players still available on the free agent market. Still just 29, he is a three-time Pro-Bowler with one first-team All-Pro nod to his credit, and he was targeted 132 times last season. Though he is clearly no longer the player he was earlier in his career, the fact that he has only piqued the interest of just one team — the Ravens — since he was released by the Cowboys is a surprise.

Of course, the timing of his release was a bit unfortunate. He was cut over a month after free agency opened, and at that point, most of the WR1/WR2 vacancies had been filled, and teams did not have as much money to spend. Plus, with the draft right around the corner, clubs were devoting more attention to collegiate prospects than anything else.

Baltimore did offer Bryant a three-year, $21MM pact, but he turned it down, as he prefers a one-year deal that would enable him to boost his value and give himself one more shot at a big-money contract (if he had his way, he would also sign on with an NFC East team). Outside of the Ravens’ offer, however, the only news on Bryant is that teams are not interested in him, even on a league minimum deal. There are a number of clubs that still make sense as a potential landing spot — like the Packers and Bills — but those teams have generally indicated that they do not plan to pursue the former first-round selection.

Bryant was never a gifted route runner, and his earlier success stemmed largely from his athleticism and his ability to make contested catches. As he has gotten older and dealt with injury problems, his physical advantages have evaporated to a large degree, and that reality, combined with his perceived attitude issues, is doubtlessly scaring teams away. But still….no interest at all?

As always, players will sustain injuries, players will underperform, and front office executives will reassess their roster on a daily basis. Bryant will find a job, even if he has to accept a contract not at all to his liking. But we would like to know your thoughts on the matter. Why is no one willing to entertain the notion of signing him right now, where will he ultimately end up, and what does the future hold for the Oklahoma State product who was one of the most exciting players in football not too long ago?

Bryant: No Regrets On Turning Down Ravens

May 16th, 2018 at 9:48am CST by Zachary Links

After being released by the Cowboys, wide receiver Dez Bryant turned down a reported three-year deal worth roughly $21MM from the Ravens, choosing instead to wait for a similarly lucrative one-year offer. So far, that offer hasn’t come through, but Bryant claims that he doesn’t regret that decision “one bit” (Twitter link).

Bryant may not see it this way, but it sure looks like he missed the boat on his best possible deal. While the Ravens were willing to give him an average annual value of $7MM to match free agent acquisition Michael Crabtree, many teams are unwilling to consider him for even the league minimum.

It’s anyone’s guess as to where Bryant will land at this point in the offseason. As recently noted by our own Dallas Robinson, the Cardinals, Packers, Patriots, Redskins, and Seahawks would all make varying degrees of sense for the multiple time Pro Bowler. However, we’ve heard no real news of Bryant being connected to any club since his talks with the Ravens and the Packers are not engaged with him at this time.

Last year, Bryant recorded just 838 yards and six touchdowns off of 69 catches, a far cry from his average of 91 catches for 1,312 yards and 14 touchdowns from 2012-14. His dip in production and perceived locker room issues have been serious barriers towards his pursuit of a platform contract, but he says that he will suit up for a team no matter what.

“No, I’m not retiring,” Bryant wrote on Twitter. “For the record, me not being signed to a team yet has a lot to do with my personal decisions. This media [sic] is a joke.”