When former Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant was released prior to the 2018 NFL season it seemed as if the mercurial player did everything possible to burn all bridges to Dallas. He dubbed linebacker Sean Lee “Snake Lee” and threw center Travis Frederick under the proverbial bus. Bryant clearly felt betrayed when Stephen Jones hinted he was released because of being too demanding of the ball from QB Dak Prescott.
After former head coach Jason Garrett’s firing in January, Bryant tweeted he had no sympathy for the man, saying the Cowboys were instant contenders. Now, it seems, he’d like back in the building in which he caught more touchdown passes than any receiver in Dallas history (73). According to Clarence Hill, Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, VP Stephen Jones has confirmed Bryant has been in contact and has expressed his desire to get back into the mix.
Bryant has been active on both Twitter and the practice field of late, showing he’s hard at work to recapture the magic of what made him such a terrifying force on the outside once upon a time. He claims he’s ready to take a backseat and fill a supplemental role on an offense.
I want to be a part of a team where I’m not the focal point.. I have no problem not being the main guy…. I bet I do damage
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) February 6, 2020
If this sounds familiar to Cowboys fans: it should. Tight end Jason Witten spouted the same kind of rhetoric heading into the 2019 campaign, that he would require only 25 snaps a game. That ended up not being the case at all as he went on to average nearly 53 snaps a game and played nearly double that of Blake Jarwin.
It seems doubtful to many a reunion in Dallas is in the mix. It’s not as if Bryant is anywhere near his peak at this point in time after two years out of the league. He hasn’t recorded a 1,000 yard season since 2014. He dealt with injuries in 2015 and ruptured his Achilles soon after signing with the New Orleans Saints midway through the 2018 season.
His temperament may also be questioned. He’s never been the kind of guy to take a backseat on game day, as he’s always been the best passing option on his teams. The man wants to play ball. He wants it so badly sometimes that it can be a detriment but there’s no doubt this team could use someone with the kind of intensity he brings not only at game time but the practice field as well.
The reunion can’t be ruled out. There’s no bigger fan of Bryant than owner Jerry Jones. Months after being released from the club, they were seen together at a Beyoncé concert. It’s clear their relationship hadn’t soured at a time when it was at its most tenuous.
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