DeMarcus Ware to Dez Bryant: 'Take the pay cut or you're gone'
The legend has some potent words for a seemingly inflexible Dez Bryant
"Hell, no. I believe in me, yeah."
Such were the poignant words from
Dez Bryant when asked if he'd accept a pay cut from the
Dallas Cowboys this offseason.
The All-Pro entered 2017 with a mountain of expectations heaped upon his shoulder pads, on the heels of battling health issues the previous two seasons along with lessened production. This season hasn't helped his case overall, despite some game-breaking plays here and there, as his output remains an issue as it relates to weighing it against his current salary.
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Bryant signed a five-year, $70 million contract extension in 2015 and is set to earn a base of $12.5 million in 2018. Between that and his $4M signing bonus, he'll smack the Cowboys' salary cap for a cool $16.5 million this offseason, lending to the obvious call for a potential pay cut. The Cowboys' all-time leader in receiving touchdowns will have none of that talk though, making it clear while there's a selection of issues that lend to his downward trend -- none of them are accountable to his talent level.
The NFL is a business if it's nothing else though, and Bryant is not naive to the reality his financial inflexibility could put the team in a position they'd rather not be in. While it remains unlikely the Cowboys would move on from their now-legendary wide receiver in a few months, it isn't impossible.
Just ask resident Cowboys' legend and future Hall of Fame linebacker
DeMarcus Ware, who once sat in the very seat Bryant does now.
https://247sports.com/nfl/dallas-cowboys/Bolt/VIDEO-Dallas-Cowboys-legend-DeMarcus-Ware-tells-Dez-Bryant-to-take-the-pay-cut-or-youre-gone-112858330?utm_source=247Sports Newsletter&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=171229_094939_Dallas Cowboys&utm_content=Link&liveconnect=80-7C-C4-12-59-5D-E4-64-37-7B-B4-D5-4E-7B-F7-E2171229_094939DallasCowboys