Deep breaths, everyone.
1. Dez Bryant won’t boycott Cowboys’ training camp and games this season.
2. Because, in my opinion, he’ll be signed to a long-term contract before Wednesday afternoon’s deadline.
Bryant has hinted at skipping work all summer and, according to ESPN, over the weekend he personally called Cowboys’ vice president Stephen Jones to re-threaten doing so.
Sorry, but ultimatums don’t broker deals. Deadlines do. Tick-tock.
Both sides need each other. But they both need a deal they are comfortable with. Hence, the waiting game.
Owner Jerry Jones knows he needs Bryant’s athletic catches on the field and his passionate leadership in the locker room. Not getting the receiver signed by Wednesday would create a cloud over training camp in Oxnard and potentially dent Bryant’s productivity.
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But I also seriously doubt Bryant skipping anything Cowboys-related. Why? Because he’d gain nothing from it.
If an agreement isn’t reached by Wednesday at 3 p.m., he’ll make $13 million this season and the two sides can’t negotiate a contract until after the season. So in missing camp and/or a game, Bryant would merely give up $750,000 per game and significantly hurt his team’s chances of a winning.
As long as DeAndre Jordan stays far from the process, I predict Dez is a Cowboy for life come Wednesday night.
Relax.
A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.
