All things being equal, no one pays Watkins more than Dez...simply because Watkins is still all about potential. All things being equal, no one pays Hurns more than Dez.
Hurns is a productive receiver with no baggage other than some injury concerns. Dez is a productive receiver with that has lots of baggage, whose bad three years coincide with some significant FACTS. In 2015, he broke his foot with a very bad injury for a receiver and tried to come back too soon, coupled with the loss of Romo. In 2016, he was playing with a rookie QB that was playing a limited offense in a run heavy scheme and missed a few games with injury. In 2017, the QB play actually regressed as the QB was faced with having to do more and the running game failed. So far Dak has not been able to show that he can use Bryant in the ways that he is most effective and the coaching staff as well has not concentrated on getting Dez the ball in the situations where he is a tough cover, such as slants, posts and dig routes. When a guy that isn't a speed receiver is running 9 routes on probably half his snaps it makes no sense.
Dez surely is not without blame, as he had issues with concentration and has not been as explosive and spectacular. Jump ball type situations were almost a guaranteed catch for years with Dez, but now they aren't even 50-50. He lets DB's get in his head and get him out of the game.
Dez numbers the last few years suggest his market value should be around 10m a year based on the pure production and comparison to deals other receivers signed. So I would suggest that a number close to that would be where he probably will sign. That doesn't really consider him taking a deal for less in order to get into a situation he feels is the best. What is interesting is whether he ultimately ends up looking at the big picture and goes to a team which gives him the best chance to get to a Super Bowl, or whether he goes to a spot where he thinks he has the best chance to show the Cowboys they screwed up. That is not necessarily the same team.
