NFL Trade Rumors: Will Dallas Cowboys Dez Bryant Leave Before 2015 Season?
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant might be on his way out of the Big D. Jerry Jones' franchise is trying to follow a different philosophy on free agency spending, according to John Bankston of Sports Illustrated Fan Sided.
The 25-year-old Bryant will enter the final year of his rookie contract this coming season and he's expecting a huge payday after a breakout season last year. In 16 games, Bryant caught for 1,233 yards with 93 receptions and 13 touchdowns.
However, Bankston believes a change in the Cowboys' spending philosophy might lead to Bryant's exit in 2015. Moreover, the football analyst doesn't see Bryant at the same level as Calvin Johnson of the Detroit Lions, who could lead his team to victory with his sheer talent.
Durability could also be an issue, as Dallas looks to bury the memory of their bad contract they offered to injury-prone wideout Miles Austin a few years ago.
Philosophical Shift
Known to be one of the biggest spenders in the history of the NFL, the Cowboys surprisingly acted like a cash-strapped franchise by not restructuring the contracts of DeMarcus Ware, Brandon Carr and Jason Witten. ESPNDallas beat writer Todd Archer thinks the Cowboys are saving money to sign young standouts Tyron Smith and Bryant, but Bankston disagreed.
"There has been a method to the Cowboys' spending this offseason with the future in mind. They could have restructured the contracts of DeMarcus Ware, Brandon Carr and Jason Witten to create a ton of room (and keep Ware) but they chose not to," Bankston wrote.
Bankston said that signing Bryant to a five-year, $60 million deal is not necessary, because Dallas can still find talented young wideouts through drafts. Dallas could also use the majority of their budget to improve their defense rather than add firepower to their aerial attacks, Bankston argued.
Bankston pointed out that the Kansas City Chiefs and defending Super Bowl champions the Seattle Seahawks are successful teams because of their strong defenses and not their offenses. Dallas may have the luxury to sign Bryant for five more years, but the loopholes in their roster, particularly their defense, will continue to be present if they don't make some compromises.