Machota: Dez Bryant could be returning punts again for the Dallas Cowboys

Cotton

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Dez Bryant could be returning punts again for the Dallas Cowboys

Jon Machota Email jmachota@dallasnews.com
Published: May 7, 2015 10:27 am

How will the Cowboys replace the loss of kick and punt returner Dwayne Harris?

With Dallas not drafting a wide receiver this year, the job could go to one of the five undrafted wide receivers they’ve recently signed.

But Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones says don’t count out some of the veteran players on the roster.

“We may have to do it by committee,” Jones said during a Wednesday conference call with season-ticket holders. “We think Cole Beasley is what we call a safe catcher of punts. He can do that, he’s done it for us. He’ll probably be first in line.

“Then we have a guy in Dez Bryant who had quite a career returning punts at Oklahoma State. When we need a big play, with him maturing as a player, it wouldn’t be out of the question to see him in some key situations when we need him back there.”

Bryant hasn’t returned a punt since the 2012 seasons.

Regarding kick returns, Jones mentioned running backs Lance Dunbar and Darren McFadden and undrafted rookie free agent wide receiver Lucky Whitehead.

And speaking of Bryant, Jones gave an update on the Pro Bowl wide receiver’s contract negotiations.

“That’s a difficult one,” Jones said. “I think a lot people want to naturally assume it’s a Dez Bryant-Cowboy issue. I think it’s a bigger issue than that right now. There’s three or four young receivers in this league other than Dez that are going to be looking for long term contracts.”

The receivers he was referring to are Denver’s Demaryius Thomas, Atlanta’s Julio Jones and Cincinnati’s A.J. Green. Like Bryant, Thomas was recently given the franchise tag after completing the final year of his rookie contract. Jones and Green are currently in the final year of their rookie deals.

“No one has been able to really figure out what they think the market should be,” Jones said. “I think ultimately we’ll get this done. No one wants to have Dez long term involved with the Dallas Cowboys more so than our organization, Jerry and myself. Our goal is to get it done, get it done long term, so we can move forward and let Dez continue to make all the great plays he’s made up until this point.”
 

Cowboysrock55

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Harris scared the shit out of me every time he returned a punt. That guy seriously looked like a fumble waiting to happen. I just want a sure handed guy back there who won't fumble.
 

Rev

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No Dez. No.
 

Clay_Allison

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We signed a lot of UDFA Wr's. One of those shits better be able to be a return man. The guy out of USC is an amazing athlete. Surely he must be capable.
We're stuck paying Claiborne and can't really cut him. He can't cover anyone. Let him return punts and kicks.
 

E_D_Guapo

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No way in hell I would let Dez Bryant return punts. Maybe once in a while when the team is backed up deep in their own territory, but not very damn often. He is way too important to the offense to risk injury there.
 

townsend

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Dez Bryant's probably good at dusting the really high areas in Valley Ranch too, but that's not what he's being paid 11 Million dollar to do.
 

Newt

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If Dez returns punt we riot.
 
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