Cowboys hot topic: It may be time for an “amicable divorce” from Dez Bryant

[Cowboysrock55]

I'd rather keep Dez, but replace the head coach and the highly predictable offense.

I agree if it wasn't for the 16.5 mil cap figure.

 

[Cotton]

Got it, thank you!

 

[deadrise]

It would be fascinating to speculate how Belichick might handle the Dez situation. Belichick is the Charles Darwin of managing the roster. The organism evolves continuously with no room for emotion or sentiment. Only the continuing evolutionary success of the organism matters.

A 29-year-old receiver, slowed by nagging injuries, no 100-yard games this season, a $16-million cap hit, a disruptive malcontent at times.

Hmmm ...

 

[p1_]

He would have been gone, probably traded or straight up released. Belichick doesn't jack around with past their prime players.

 

[deadrise]

I recall when NE got manhandled by Denver in the 2016 playoff game the offensive line coach was gone the NEXT DAY. Not next week, not next month, the NEXT DAY.

Think that didn't send a message reverberating throughout the organization?

 

[DLK150]

I'd rather keep Dez, but replace the head coach and the highly predictable offense.

I'd keep him if he took a pay cut but I would still draft a new WR1. If it's someone who can actually step in and play from day 1, relegate Dez to WR2 status. If he doesn't like it, tough shit.

 

[Cotton]

It would be fascinating to speculate how Belichick might handle the Dez situation. Belichick is the Charles Darwin of managing the roster. The organism evolves continuously with no room for emotion or sentiment. Only the continuing evolutionary success of the organism matters.

A 29-year-old receiver, slowed by nagging injuries, no 100-yard games this season, a $16-million cap hit, a disruptive malcontent at times.

Hmmm ...

You know he would be gone, but the thing about Belichik is he would get something for him. He wouldn’t outright release him like this organization has proven prone to do.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

You know he would be gone, but the thing about Belichik is he would get something for him. He wouldn’t outright release him like this organization has proven prone to do.

But releasing them is the nice thing to do. You wouldn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. And releasing them allows them to pick their own team and sign that shiny new contract.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

I'd keep him if he took a pay cut but I would still draft a new WR1. If it's someone who can actually step in and play from day 1, relegate Dez to WR2 status. If he doesn't like it, tough shit.

Yeah I don't know that you can draft a WR and count on them to be your instant number 1 guy. If we go that route you're really looking at not having a #1 WR next year but instead sort of attacking defenses with a balanced attack and hoping the rookie can chip in with a nice 600 yard season or something like that. It's why it would be nice to have Dez and draft a guy. But I also feel like Dez would throw a baby tantrum because he would see the writing on the wall that he is being fazed out.

 

[deadrise]

It's easy to lose sight of the fact that speed was never Bryant's selling point -- 4.52 in the combine. It was his size, physicality, leaping ability and athleticism.

He and Romo had a thing going where Romo could just place the ball in a certain spot and Dez would out-hustle and out-muscle the DB for the ball. He intimidated DBs. But if age and injuries have slowed him even more and diminished the other attributes to the point where he can't overpower DBs then no one's going to be afraid of him.

I still saw some plays during the season where RHG and Linehan called those kinds of throws, neither one of them realizing of course that it was a obsolete idea.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

It's easy to lose sight of the fact that speed was never Bryant's selling point -- 4.52 in the combine. It was his size, physicality, leaping ability and athleticism.

He and Romo had a thing going where Romo could just place the ball in a certain spot and Dez would out-hustle and out-muscle the DB for the ball. He intimidated DBs. But if age and injuries have slowed him even more and diminished the other attributes to the point where he can't overpower DBs then no one's going to be afraid of him.

I still saw some plays during the season where RHG and Linehan called those kinds of throws during the season, neither one of them realizing of course that it was a obsolete idea.

Yeah there were a few deep balls to Dez that still looked like old Dez. Ones where he was covered but he went up for the ball and got it. The problem is with elite corners he can't seem to do that anymore. And part of it probably is a loss of speed. If a really fast corner doesn't even have to try to keep up with you speed wise, it makes those plays a lot harder. Which I think is his problem against elite corners. They don't struggle at all to keep up with him. So it's easier to turn and see the ball.

I don't think Dez is ready to retire or anything like that. But I think the drops this season is sort of a result of his frustration of not seeing more passes. But reality is, at his playing level he probably shouldn't be seeing more balls. But the coaches also suck at finding creative ways to get him the ball. It can't be all WR screens and then low percentage plays like fades. I also remember a lot of slants this year where the corner absolutely knew he was running a slant. That's some of the predictable bullshit that's plaguing our offense.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Dez needs to have the majority oh his routes in the middle. He is good at crossing patterns and routes where verticle seperation isn’t required. He can stretch a middle route by keeping himself in front of the defender. Give him that kind of work and he will produce better.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Dez needs to have the majority oh his routes in the middle. He is good at crossing patterns and routes where verticle seperation isn’t required. He can stretch a middle route by keeping himself in front of the defender. Give him that kind of work and he will produce better.

Unless of course he short arms it and allows a pick.

 

[DLK150]

Yeah I don't know that you can draft a WR and count on them to be your instant number 1 guy. If we go that route you're really looking at not having a #1 WR next year but instead sort of attacking defenses with a balanced attack and hoping the rookie can chip in with a nice 600 yard season or something like that. It's why it would be nice to have Dez and draft a guy. But I also feel like Dez would throw a baby tantrum because he would see the writing on the wall that he is being fazed out.

That would top Dez's season. Even if the guy ends up being WR2 or even WR3, you can still throw it to him rather than Dez, especially if the new guy can actually get separation.

All of it is assuming we even draft someone to eventually replace him in 2018 to begin with though. I'm not sold on the front office feeling there's a need for one yet, at least it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[DLK150]

Unless of course he short arms it and allows a pick.

Or lets it bounce off his hands.

 

[deadrise]

Dez needs to have the majority oh his routes in the middle. He is good at crossing patterns and routes where verticle seperation isn’t required. He can stretch a middle route by keeping himself in front of the defender. Give him that kind of work and he will produce better.

Is that the kind of route that justifies $16 million a year? Lots of WRs can run crossing routes. $16 million a year is supposed to buy you separation under all kinds of circumstances, most especially vertical. $16 million a year is supposed to buy you game changing home runs, touchdowns, a deep threat other teams fear.

If all Dez runs is crossing routes, he needs to take a big pay cut.

 

[data]

Even Verizon stopped airing his commercials mid-season.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Unless of course he short arms it and allows a pick.

If he does then he is out of room for excuses to remain in pro football.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Is that the kind of route that justifies $16 million a year? Lots of WRs can run crossing routes. $16 million a year is supposed to buy you separation under all kinds of circumstances, most especially vertical. $16 million a year is supposed to buy you game changing home runs, touchdowns, a deep threat other teams fear.

If all Dez runs is crossing routes, he needs to take a big pay cut.

Well he certainly isn’t productive on verticle routes. He doesnt have the speed to get separation on most patterns. If he is not effective there then he isn’t needed as a number 1 receiver.

Sidenote. Deadrise has connotations of one who was a prior poster under another name and has come back to life with a new name.

 

[jsmith6919]