Dez considering holding out for opener...

[Cotton]

 

[Genghis Khan]

Season opener? No he's not, but you can totally tell he has an agent sothat's nice .

 

[Cotton]

Dez Bryant weighs skipping Cowboys' season opener if no deal signed

Chris Mortensen, NFL reporter

Dez Bryant is contemplating not reporting to the Dallas Cowboys for the regular season opener unless he is signed to a long-term contract by July 15, according to sources familiar with the receiver's negotiation strategy.

Bryant has not signed his franchise tag, which would guarantee him $12,823,000 for the 2015 season. The deadline for franchise-tagged players to negotiate and sign a long-term contract is July 15 or else Bryant's only option is to play under the $12.823 million or not play at all.

"I'm just not going to comment about that," said Bryant's agent Tom Condon. "Our goal is still to get something done on a long-term basis by the deadline."

Cowboys executive vice president of player personnel Stephen Jones said last week the team would make a push to get Bryant signed before the deadline. However, the team reportedly has not made a new proposal since prior to the 2014 season. Bryant has since changed contract representatives, from Eugene Parker to Condon.

Bryant could not be reached for comment but a source cited the option of "pulling an Emmitt Smith," referring to the Cowboys Hall of Fame running back who missed the first two games of the 1993 season. In that situation, the team gave in when it began the season with two losses and Smith was signed to a new deal favorable to his side of negotiations. The Cowboys overcame that 0-2 start to win their second straight Super Bowl.

Whether Bryant has the same resolve remains to be seen. Even though he has not participated in the team's offseason workouts, he did appear at one OTA session and participated in indivudal drills. The Cowboys hold their mandatory minicamp next week but Bryant is not subject to mandatory attendance because he technically is not under contract.

Bryant is entering his sixth NFL season. His production during the past three seasons is comparable to the best three-year stretch of all-time receivers: Jerry Rice, Marvin Harrison, Terrell Owens and Lance Alworth.

In 2014, he caught 88 passes for 1,350 yards and 16 touchdowns.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Cowboys executive vice president of player personnel Stephen Jones said last week the team would make a push to get Bryant signed before the deadline. However, the team reportedly has not made a new proposal since prior to the 2014 season. Bryant has since changed contract representatives, from Eugene Parker to Condon.

Why? Was our offer that good before the 2014 season even started that we feel no need to negotiate further? Just seems odd. I think rumors like this are coming out because Dez is frustrated with the Cowboys lack of activity or motivation to get a deal done right now.

 

[Cotton]

This is a really good point.

 

[ravidubey]

Demaryius Thomas is also unsigned.

No one wants to set this ridiculous market value. Megatron and Fitzgerald have proven that WR's are way overpriced.

 

[Cotton]

Skipping the first game would cost him almost $800k. To prove a point. I don't see it happening.

 

[Cotton]

Absolutely.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

This is a really good point.

No question about it. That's why he is talking about it now even though the season is months away. After 7/15 there is no benefit to Dez to skip a game.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Dez is the biggest leader on our offense. Romo doesn't possess the fiery leadership qualities that Dez does. The worst thing we could do as an organization is piss Dez off to the point that he turns on the organization.

 

[townsend]

Yeah, I really think we should pay the man. There's no way around it, and being dicks may cost us our best player.

 

[boozeman]

Total bullshit. He isn't going to give up a game check like that.

 

[Cotton]

 

[boozeman]

Skipping the first game would cost him almost $800k. To prove a point. I don't see it happening.

Ever see a player cost themselves a significant amount of money to prove a point?

Never.

A player may hold out of camp but not the extent of costing them a large percentage of what they had been used to under their rookie contract.

This is just slow news June crap for Mortensen.

 

[shane]

Dez is the biggest leader on our offense. Romo doesn't possess the fiery leadership qualities that Dez does. The worst thing we could do as an organization is piss Dez off to the point that he turns on the organization.

Bingo. Pay the man, and pay him well. His fiery attitude has been a big part of the reason for the turnaround in the franchise IMO.

 

[P_T]

Bingo. Pay the man, and pay him well. His fiery attitude has been a big part of the reason for the turnaround in the franchise IMO.

Um no... that would be our OL and the commitment to run behind it. We had Dez last off-season and we were still predicted to be crap. It was only the aforementioned that brought the Cowboys to prominence last year. He does deserve to get paid, but not a cap breaking deal.

 

[BipolarFuk]

Yeah, let's pay this guy Megatron money like he wants and then watch important pieces sign with other teams over the next 10 years because we built around a great, but hardly earth shattering, WR.

 

[townsend]

Yeah, let's pay this guy Megatron money like he wants and then watch important pieces sign with other teams over the next 10 years because we built around a great, but hardly earth shattering, WR.

It's not like he caught 3 TDs in the most crucial game of the season, on the road, against our division rival. We need a player that can produce.

 

[Cotton]

Yeah, let's pay this guy Megatron money like he wants and then watch important pieces sign with other teams over the next 10 years because we built around a great, but hardly earth shattering, WR.

Yes, let's do that. Seriously. We would be really stupid not to.

 

[dallen]

In Front Office Football 7 I franchised Dez and then got him to agree to a 3 year contract. But then before he signed I tried to add a couple extra years to it and now he won't negotiate with me any more.