Return of the X: Should the Dallas Cowboys sign Dez Bryant?
He was once the brightest star for the Dallas Cowboys, and now he hasn’t played since 2017. Should America’s Team give Dez Bryant another shot?
He was the person that was screaming at everyone on the sidelines trying to spark something. He was the one that every Dallas Cowboys fan fell in love with. He was the great “X” wide receiver, Dez Bryant.
Bryant hasn’t dressed for a game with the Cowboys since the 2017 season. And he’s determined to make his way back into the NFL. Should Dallas give Dez an opportunity and sign him this offseason?
The Flying Cowboy
Bryant had a good stint with the Cowboys over his eight-year career with the team … so far. It all started when owner Jerry Jones traded up to draft him 24th overall in the 2010 draft. He chose the No. 88 and things went off from there.
Although Bryant’s rookie year wasn’t mind-blowing, it was a good first season in the NFL. He had a respectable 561 yards and six touchdowns while playing as the third/fourth option.
The very next season, Bryant would be on the brink of eclipsing 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in 15 games. For three consecutive years (2012-2014) he would top both marks and establish himself as one of the best wide receivers in the league.
In Week 1 of the 2015 season, Bryant broke his foot and needed a bone graft. Ever since that injury, he looked different. Dez didn’t look as explosive, and he seemed to drop more balls. He would not have another season with a catching percentage of over 55 percent.
His 2015 season was the worst of his career, topping only 401 yards and three touchdowns, albeit in only nine games. The 2016 season was good but was cut short due to yet another injury. He had 796 yards and eight touchdowns in 13 games.
In his last season as a Cowboy, Bryant dropped yet again with only 838 yards and six touchdowns in a full 16 game season. At that time, Dez was trying to prove that he is still amongst the best in the league, so I consider it a bad season for him.
One trend we can see is injuries and Bryant’s decline go hand-in-hand. There were only four out of his eight years in the league where he played all 16 games.
The only bad season Bryant really had when healthy was in 2017 when he recorded just 69 catches off a team-leading 132 targets. By that time Dez was already thrown off by his past injuries and likely fighting through more throughout that season.
In 2018, the New Orleans Saints signed Bryant to a one-year contract. He looked to reboot his career but tore his Achilles in only his second practice session with the team.