Dallas Cowboys staffer: “Dez Bryant does very few things really well”
According to a unnamed source on the Dallas Cowboys staff, veteran wide receiver Dez Bryant does very few things really well anymore.
The biggest vulture swirling above the Dallas Cowboys this offseason has it’s eyes firmly focused on one player. That being veteran wide receiver Dez Bryant. The 29-year old’s future in Big D has been the headline topic of discussion between national media pundits, local beat writers and the fan base at large.
Coming off his third straight under-performing season, many believe Bryant was on his way out of Dallas this year. At the very least, the Cowboys were expected to ask the eight-year veteran to take a pay cut. With an scheduled salary cap hit of $16.5 million for 2018, the third highest among receivers according to Spotrac.com, Bryant is grossly overpaid for his production in Dallas.
Last season, Bryant racked up 69 receptions for 838 yards and six touchdowns. Unfortunately, that production came from being targeted a whopping 132 times, giving Dez a catch percentage of 52.3%. That was the lowest catch rate on the roster outside of seventh round rookie wide out Noah Brown and tight end James Hanna.
In turn, that 52.3% catch rate was Bryant’s highest in three seasons as injuries have taken their toll on the aging receiver who will turn 30-years old this season. Since signing a massive five-year, $70 million contract in 2015, Dez has severely underperformed his contract. And according to an unnamed insider, that poor production has coincided with a physical decline the team has seen since that deal was made.
"“Based on last year,” one Cowboys staffer told The MMQB.com’s Albert Breer, “[Dez Bryant] does very few things really well.”"
.@AlbertBreer on Dez Bryant's future in Dallas. He's slipping physically, hard to count on for Dak Prescott, and not doing enough to counteract that. “Based on last year, he does very few things really well," says one Cowboys staffer. https://t.co/n8tOOeTYGA
— The MMQB (@theMMQB) April 5, 2018
Breer went on to explain that the Cowboys coaching staff began to see Bryant’s physical gifts start to slip three years ago and that the veteran receiver has not done enough to counteract that. Breer also pointed out Dez’s inability to adjust to playing at a different speeds, his lack of explosion, his declining vertical, his inconsistent route-running and his lack of chemistry with Dak Prescott.
All of these issues combined would likely have forced most teams to part ways with a top receiver like Bryant sooner if not for his biggest advocates, owner Jerry Jones and head coach Jason Garrett.
But there seems to be an overwhelming feeling Bryant’s days in Dallas are number regardless. Even if Dez agrees to take a pay cut to remain with the Cowboys this season, will his decline in play continue? And if so, would Dallas finally be ready to move on in 2019?
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Many of those questions will likely be answered in the upcoming draft. If the Dallas Cowboys opt to select a wide receiver in the first three rounds of the big offseason event taking place in Arlington at the end of this month, than Dez Bryant’s tenure in Big D is likely soon coming to an end.