NFL

Michael Irvin Tosses Support Behind Dez Bryant

There’s no guarantee Dez Bryant plays for the Cowboys next season.

Bryant could opt to play elsewhere rather than accept a pay cut he doesn’t want to take.

Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin, speaking Monday on The Dan Patrick Show, said that would be a dumb move.

“We get a hold of something sometimes and we’re like a dog with a bone.,” Irvin said. “Right now, Dez Bryant is the bone. Let me tall y’all something ,man, let that bone go.

“You don’t find number one receivers hanging off trees leaves. What are you going to do? Let Dez go. Who you got to replace him? If you think you can find No.1 receivers that easy, then every team would have them. You don’t find them that easily.

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“The Cowboys would be stupid - stupid - to let this boy go right now.”

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Bryant, the NFL’s seventh-highest paid receiver, signed a five-year, $70 million deal after the 2014 season. At that time, he’d averaged 91 catches, 1,312 yards and 14 touchdowns over a three-year span.

Last season, he caught 69 passes for 838 yards and six touchdowns. In the past three years, Bryant has averaged 50 catches for 678 yards and six touchdowns in 38 games.

That’s why the topic of slashing Bryant’s salary has been broached. Players who have big salaries must provide big numbers.

Bryant hasn’t - and it doesn’t matter whether you blame Bryant, quarterback Dak Prescott or the Cowboys’ offensive scheme.

“You’ve seen what Dez Bryant can do,” Irvin said. “You’ve seen him put up 16 touchdowns in a season. Now, he has a new quarterback who we have just given the “old man” tag. It’s like Dak has been around forever and it’s just his second year. Dez has to bring Dak along.

“Tony Romo was something different. Tony knew how to handle a team’s personality. Sometimes, he would go off read just because he wanted Dez’s positivity energy. These are things a young Dak is going to learn.”

But it’s not going to happen before the Cowboys ask Bryant to take less money, which is why he might be playing elsewhere in 2018.

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