lostxn
DCC 4Life
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
- Messages
- 7,874
Kurt Warner took some shots at Dez Bryant that weren't exactly unfair
Sam Quinn - Feb 12, 1:01 PM 0
Dez Bryant is coming off of arguably the worst season of his career for the Dallas Cowboys. His statistics were down across the board while his drops hit an all time high. He threw temper tantrums on the sideline far too often for anyone's liking, and the passing offense as a whole stalled significantly thanks at least partially to Bryant's decline. Many fans are wondering what sort of place Bryant, at an enormous cap figure, still has on this team moving forward.
Many older receivers adjust their game as they get older. They become possession receivers who rely on route running and intelligence to make plays. Just don't expect Bryant to be that kind of player, at least according to former MVP Kurt Warner. In breaking down the Cowboys' offense on the Ben & Skin Show on 105.3 The Fan (h/t The Dallas Morning News), Warner criticized Bryant's route running when talking about how Dallas needs to adjust in their passing game.
"Dez [Bryant], we know he's got unique talent, but he's not a great route runner. So if I'm putting him in a situation where he's one-on-one and I'm asking him to win by running routes, I don't think you're going to have a lot of success there and I think that's what we saw this year. You've got to find ways to create opportunities for your quarterback, for your playmakers, to move them around, to put them in positions to do what they do best and succeed at it."
The Cowboys are heading to the offseason with lots of questions. Don’t miss any breaking news, take a second to sign up for our FREE Cowboys newsletter
Warner isn't exactly wrong, and he's seen some of his former teammates make the same adjustment that Bryant has failed to. Larry Fitzgerald is five years older than Bryant, for example, and yet he caught over 100 passes last season because he grew in ways that Bryant hasn't. Anquan Boldin made the same adjustments as he got older.
But Bryant is trying to play like a 25-year-old when he's about to turn 30. He doesn't have the same physical talent that he once did, and unless he learns to compensate for that lost ability, he is going to see his career end before it really has to.
Sam Quinn - Feb 12, 1:01 PM 0
Dez Bryant is coming off of arguably the worst season of his career for the Dallas Cowboys. His statistics were down across the board while his drops hit an all time high. He threw temper tantrums on the sideline far too often for anyone's liking, and the passing offense as a whole stalled significantly thanks at least partially to Bryant's decline. Many fans are wondering what sort of place Bryant, at an enormous cap figure, still has on this team moving forward.
Many older receivers adjust their game as they get older. They become possession receivers who rely on route running and intelligence to make plays. Just don't expect Bryant to be that kind of player, at least according to former MVP Kurt Warner. In breaking down the Cowboys' offense on the Ben & Skin Show on 105.3 The Fan (h/t The Dallas Morning News), Warner criticized Bryant's route running when talking about how Dallas needs to adjust in their passing game.
"Dez [Bryant], we know he's got unique talent, but he's not a great route runner. So if I'm putting him in a situation where he's one-on-one and I'm asking him to win by running routes, I don't think you're going to have a lot of success there and I think that's what we saw this year. You've got to find ways to create opportunities for your quarterback, for your playmakers, to move them around, to put them in positions to do what they do best and succeed at it."
The Cowboys are heading to the offseason with lots of questions. Don’t miss any breaking news, take a second to sign up for our FREE Cowboys newsletter
Warner isn't exactly wrong, and he's seen some of his former teammates make the same adjustment that Bryant has failed to. Larry Fitzgerald is five years older than Bryant, for example, and yet he caught over 100 passes last season because he grew in ways that Bryant hasn't. Anquan Boldin made the same adjustments as he got older.
But Bryant is trying to play like a 25-year-old when he's about to turn 30. He doesn't have the same physical talent that he once did, and unless he learns to compensate for that lost ability, he is going to see his career end before it really has to.