Watkins: Dez Bryant: 'I know what I'm doing'

Dez Bryant: 'I know what I'm doing'

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant isn't a kid anymore.

He's 24 as he enters his fourth NFL season as one of the veterans on the Cowboys' young receiving corps.

"It's a whole different mindset going in," Bryant said. "No more games. No more wondering. I know what I'm doing. I got to come in and do what I did at the end of last year, and I hope to build on that."

Bryant was a dominant force in the passing game for the Cowboys in 2012. He compiled career-highs in catches (92), yards (1,382) and touchdowns (12). Bryant had five games with more than 100 receiving yards, including a 224-yard performance against New Orleans in December. He caught a touchdown pass seven consecutive games, only to have the streak snapped in the regular-season finale at Washington.

Bryant's maturity away from the field has also been noticeable. Those around Valley Ranch hope it will lead to bigger things on the field.

The Cowboys receivers are led by Bryant and Miles Austin and also include Dwayne Harris, Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley and Danny Coale. The Cowboys will fill out the receiving corps with an array of younger players.

"I feel like we have a great receiving corps," Bryant said. "We're good if someone goes down. We have great enough receivers who can go in and contribute and make plays for this team."

Harris added noticable quickness to the WR corps last year. Not straight-on speed, but shiftiness in space that we had lacked without him. If Williams can inject some straight-on speed this WR's corps becomes elite. Right now speed is the missing dimension, and it was terribly evident in Washington last year.

Bryant is faster than Williams. And immensely quicker. Williams is like Alvin Harper. Which will be fine by me, but he's not elite speed wise.

Edit. Shit Williams IS faster than Bryant I guess, but he really doesn't seem to play like he runs a 4.4. Takes a while to get to top speed though.

Lotuseater said:

Bryant is faster than Williams. And immensely quicker. Williams is like Alvin Harper. Which will be fine by me, but he's not elite speed wise.

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Bryant is not fast. He's a big 4.5/4.6 guy who relies on physical play and dynamic moves to separate. Bryant's biggest advantage is how he seems to lose no speed when cutting. Technically Miles Austin is faster, but that track speed does not translate well.

Williams is a 4.52 guy who's a long-strider and leaper, and he plays leaner than Alvin Harper. If Williams's speed is like Austin or Bryant, the defense can still lineup within 15 yards of the LOS. If he's more like Victor Cruz, who like Austin runs a 4.47 but translates all of it onto the field, then he will force defenses to back off.