Dez Bryant’s season is over before it even started. Now, the question is whether his career is over too.
Bryant, who signed a one-year pro-rated deal for $600,000 with the New Orleans Saints on Thursday, reportedly tore his Achilles’ tendon at practice Friday.
While he was looking for the right team, Bryant didn’t participate in any offseason OTAs or minicamps. He missed all of training camp, and hadn’t practiced with an NFL team until Sunday.
One of the reasons the Saints ruled him out of Sunday’s game against Cincinnati is they wanted him to lose about five pounds and give his body time to acclimate to playing NFL football.
This is a sad ending to Bryant’s season.
The Cowboys cut the 30-year-old receiver in April and he spent nearly seven months and eight games of the 2018 season waiting for the right opportunity.
He turned down offers from Baltimore and Cleveland before working out with New Orleans on Wednesday and signing a deal with the Saints.
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It was a perfect fit.
Drew Brees, one of the most accurate quarterbacks in NFL history, was capable of throwing him open and taking advantage of his ability to run slants, back-shoulder fades and slants.
Michael Thomas one of the best receivers in the NFL would draw the opponent’s best cornerback and get double coverage, allowing Bryant to get better matchups backside.
And we all know coach Sean Payton is among the best at creating favorable matchups for his players.
The Saints lead the NFC South at 7-1 and no one will be surprised if they advance to the NFC championship game.
It was an opportunity, perhaps, along the way for Bryant to erase the memory of the catch that wasn’t a catch that should’ve been a catch in Green Bay were the Cowboys lost in the NFC Divisional playoff game.
Instead, he’s about to start a 9-12 month rehab.
“Things was just starting to heat up for me... I won’t question the man upstairs... this is the ultimate test.. thank you everyone for the prayers,” Bryant tweeted Friday afternoon.
The hard part for Bryant will be adhering to rehabilitation regimen.
At his age, it will be long, arduous process without any guarantee he will regain the athleticism this injury will steal from him.
His career could easily be over.
After all, he hasn’t had a 1,000-yard season in three years and various other injuries have robbed him of some of the athleticism that made him one of the best in the game from 2012-2014.
He’s about to embark on the most difficult journey of his career.
It will require much prayer and a little luck.
