Dez Bryant approaching D Ware in years

northerncowboynation

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We are, sadly, approaching D-Ware territory with Dez Bryant.

Can you believe DeMarcus Ware was released four years ago by the Dallas Cowboys?

Time flies, and not a whole lot of fun has really been had while it’s been doing so. Since that infamous day in the offseason of 2014, Ware has won a Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos and retired, while the Cowboys have continued to try to find their own way.

There are many a Cowboys fan that are still bitter over the team moving on from the franchise’s all-time sack leader. He did help win a ring; he obviously had gas left in the tank, but it was a business move and everyone did their best to understand that at the time.

We’re seemingly in a similar boat these days as Stephen Jones keeps saying things that make it seem like Dez Bryant could be the odd man out when the Cowboys fortify their 2018 plans. What once seemed an impossibility suddenly has traction as a real thing.


I’ve been pretty adamant for a while that I don’t think anything’s going to happen re: Dez Bryant this year.

Tonight’s the first time I’m doubting that stance, courtesy of this quote from Stephen Jones. pic.twitter.com/vpYXgcnk0T

— David Helman (@HelmanDC) February 23, 2018

It’s hard not to think back to Ware’s release when considering the present-day situation with Dez, but it’s Dez... right? There’s no way. For some reason, whether rational or irrational, this just feels different. There’s no way they’d actually release him. They’re different!

What if they weren’t different, though? What if they were almost the same? Wouldn’t that mean it’s just as possible for Dez to get the Ware treatment as much as it was true that time flew just as fast for him?

Dez Bryant has played eight seasons for the Cowboys. At the time of his release, DeMarcus Ware had played nine. That’s unreal.

Now to be totally frank here, Dez has played in 113 games (99 starts). At the time, Ware had played in 141 games (140 starts). Dez has missed time in four of his seasons with Dallas, including twice in the last three years. Ware had only ever missed time in his final season with the team. Again, that’s unreal.

It’s not necessarily apples to apples to compare the two situations, but it’s closer than apples and oranges. Maybe it’s apples and pears, but even that feels weird because nobody likes pears. The point here is, Dez Bryant really is in a similar situation to DeMarcus Ware circa 2014.

If the franchise’s all-time sack leader couldn’t survive the rigors of the business side of the NFL, can it’s all-time leader in touchdown catches? Precedent points to an interesting offseason..
 

cowboy_ron

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We let the standup guy walk, but we'll keep the slug.

Ware could have played under Landry or Jimmy......Dez would have already been shipped out of here.......if drafted at all.
 

northerncowboynation

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I valued what Ware did over his career as a Cowboy way more than anything Bryant has accomplished.

Well yes an no. Neither accomplished what they want/wanted in a Cowboy uni but Ware got his Lombardi and will be in the HOF as a Cowboy I suppose. No question Ware had class
 

slick325

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If released this offseason, just like DWare, Dez will land with a good team with a big time QB (Green Bay, New England, New Orleans, Philadelphia or the LA Rams) and get a ring before Jason Witten.
 

northerncowboynation

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Ware at least threatened to be considered the best in the sport at his position. The best at his craft.

Bryant? Uh, no.

hmmm Ware never came close to the best at his position, only in Cowboy lore and after sacks were counted. If you use that as a yard stick, Dez is gonzo
 

Alexander

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Well yes an no. Neither accomplished what they want/wanted in a Cowboy uni but Ware got his Lombardi and will be in the HOF as a Cowboy I suppose. No question Ware had class

Ware was an elite player far longer than Bryant. Meaning the other team was scared of them.

Bryant has never scared any one to that degree.
 

Torturedcowboysfan

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Ware at least threatened to be considered the best in the sport at his position. The best at his craft.

Bryant? Uh, no.
Ware Led the league in sacks twice, plus played the run well. He was the best pass rusher in the league for about 5-7 years.
He played less years than peppers and retired with more sacks.
 

Techsass

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Not sure what SJ is pulling for with all of his recent jabber. If they were looking to cut Dez, I doubt he'd be this vocal about it.
 

northerncowboynation

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I'm gonna float this. Dez will make it to his 9'th year like Ware and if 800 yards and dropped passes continue to be the standard, bye bye after 9
 

Torturedcowboysfan

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hmmm Ware never came close to the best at his position, only in Cowboy lore and after sacks were counted. If you use that as a yard stick, Dez is gonzo
He led the league in sacks twice while getting double teamed. He never had another elite pass rusher next to him.
The best he had was an aging Greg Ellis. He's a top 7 pass rusher all-time.
 

Torturedcowboysfan

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I'm gonna float this. Dez will make it to his 9'th year like Ware and if 800 yards and dropped passes continue to be the standard, bye bye after 9
Its not all of Dez. Its no coincidence his numbers dropped when Dak took over. Dak is a good young qb , but he has D Mcnabbs mentality as a passer. He's not the most accurate and he's conservative.
 

buybuydandavis

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It's an apt comparison that's leaves Dez looking worse on all counts.

Two guys paid like the best, who haven't played like it for a while, and who have spent some down seasons which accumulating injuries.

Similar, but Dez is worse on many counts.

Dez at his best wasn't as good as Ware at his best. Ware was dominant for much longer. Dez has had a longer spell of injuries and poor play. Even less likelihood of Dez returning to dominant play. Ware was never disruptive in the press or on the sidelines.

We moved on from Ware. We certainly can move on from Dez.
 

Techsass

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I sometimes wonder if releasing Ware was done as a favor. There's never been any complaining that I can recall from either side.
 
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