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The Baltimore Ravens are set to bring in free-agent wide receiver Dez Bryant for a workout. After Chris Moore broke a finger at training camp, causing him to miss several weeks, Baltimore suddenly has a vacancy that needs filling and Bryant has been eager to don the purple and black for a while now.
Looking on social media, Ravens fans are split on the idea. Some hate the thought of a player who previously turned Baltimore down getting another chance. Some fans love the idea of the team getting a proven pass catcher who was once one of the best in the league. In reality, it’s far more complicated than either of those extremes, which is why he’s being worked out rather than immediately signed.
While Bryant looks great in Instagram workouts, they’re not really indicative of how good of a player he actually is. Bryant will first have to prove to Baltimore’s coaching staff that he can still be a weapon in the NFL. At nearly 32 years old, Bryant’s undoubtedly not the same player who eclipsed 1,300 receiving yards or put up 16 touchdown receptions in a single season. That doesn’t mean he can’t play a more niche role in an offense full of niche players but it does mean he needs to be happy with what that likely means.
Even if Bryant is in his prime still, the Ravens’ offense has rarely been a high volume scheme that sees wide receivers have the best seasons of their careers. Since he’s coming in for a workout, Bryant likely already knows where he stands and what to expect in this regard. But since he hasn’t been known for swallowing his pride throughout his career, it’s still a hurdle they’ll have to get over if Baltimore likes what it sees.
Beyond the on-field aspect of the game, the Ravens are going to thoroughly check out Bryant’s maturity level, work ethic, and passion for the game. While Bryant has been a very talented player, he’s also had his fair share of off-field drama too. Since the Ravens have completely avoided the types of players who exude drama and distraction — including the supremely talented but troubled Antonio Brown — Bryant is going to have to pass muster here as well. He’s kept his name out of the headlines for a while now, which is a credit to Bryant’s claim that he’s matured, but Baltimore is going to leave no stone unturned all the same.
If Bryant checks all the boxes — physical and mental — it seems like a no brainer to ink him to a cheap, one-year deal.
Baltimore has Willie Snead in the wide receiver room, which is nice, but Bryant has been at a completely different level. If in the correct headspace for it, Bryant can be a great mentor to young players like Marquise Brown, Devin Duvernay, James Proche, and Miles Boykin. He can talk to them about handling their business off the field as well as the intricacies of the position and how he got to the top of the league on the field. Small things like knowing how to make more precise cuts or how to read a defensive back during a play can turn a good wide receiver into a great one.
Bryant still has his uses on the field too. At 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, Bryant has the size to block down in the run game. If he still has a little speed to him, Bryant’s experience and route-running savvy could make him a natural to play the type of role Anquan Boldin found so much success with in Baltimore. Even if he doesn’t live up to that, Bryant is practically the same size as Boykin and would be the perfect insurance policy behind him.
Regardless of how good Bryant looks in his workout with Baltimore, he’s not likely going to command much more than the veteran minimum, and he seems fine with that. Maybe he’s chasing a ring or he just wants to continue playing a game he loves, but he seems excited and dedicated. At this point in his career, Bryant has all the makings of a low-risk, high-reward signing that might not necessarily take the Ravens to the next level but would be a welcome addition nonetheless.
But first, Bryant needs to impress enough to get a contract put in front of him.
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