News: DMN: Babe Laufenberg: Is Dez Bryant still a top five NFL wide receiver? Here's my take ...

[jwitten82]

The guy was hurt this year. Played with mediocre QBs. Next year we'll see if he bounces back or not.

He was hurt, but mediocre Qbs isnt an excuse, just look at who Hopkins had to play with

 

[The Dallas1575]

not even close

 

[Hoofbite]

Brandon Marshall just had the best year of his career, which is petty impressive.

 

[perrykemp]

The guy was hurt this year. Played with mediocre QBs. Next year we'll see if he bounces back or not.

Speaking of top 5 WRs with mediocre QBs..... DeAndre Hopkins wins that award.

111 receptions, 1521 yards, 11 TDs with 4 different QBs -- the best of which (Hoyer) is well below average.

 

[Stash]

I just didnt think Brown could keep putting up those numbers. Perrykemp, in another thread, posted his numbers and it sunk in for me.

Brown isnt a fluke and there is nothing that has stopped him from putting up those numbers for 3 years now!!!.............nothing.

Yes, the system, is designed to get him open, and it helps. But that guy is unreal.

Best in the league right now if you ask me, and his numbers would be even better if 'lockdown quarterback' Michael Vick wasn't able to shut him down.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

A few years ago Dez was an emerging talent with top 5 potential. Now he's still great but getting long in tooth and passed up by younger guys. It's like he jumped from being almost there to over the hill without actually ever being top 5.

 

[Tio]

A few years ago Dez was an emerging talent with top 5 potential. Now he's still great but getting long in tooth and passed up by younger guys. It's like he jumped from being almost there to over the hill without actually ever being top 5.

He was top 5 the last two if not three years prior to this season. This league does churn bodies quite quickly however.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Dez is easily a top 5 WR. Probably higher.

 

[Nova]

Healthy? Probably. I don't think there are 5 better receivers now than what Dez was last year.

Julio, Brown, Beckham are probably better. Hopkins, maybe, but I still just am not super, super impressed. Then who? Numbers will never convince me that DT is better, Calvin is over the hill, and AJ is equal at best... Feel like I'm forgetting someone.

 

[MRV52]

I am worried if Dez will ever be Dez again so I would go WR with our #4 pick.

 

[cowboys1981]

DUMB!! How does he get knocked on when he broke a bone in his foot and played with it sooner than he should have? Dez has nothing to prove to anyone.

 

[SportsGuru80]

No longer elite????? The man was injured you people are ridiculous in here at times! SMH

 

[Beast_from_East]

A. Come somebody explain to me why I should care who Babe thinks the top 5 WRs in the NFL are?

B. We are 27-29 since the new stadium opened.............seriously, they should just dozer that stadium........embarrassing.

 

[HappyOnions]

I think he deserves a pass due to his injury. However, he needs to really step his game up next season to keep his sopt as a top WR in this league.

Top 5 red zone threat for sure...between the 20s, meh...there are about 10 guys I'd take over him, even if he's healthy.

Between the ears? There's not many receivers I wouldn't take over him...

 

[JoeBoBBY]

My thinking is not the popular around here but i think it falls in line with Jerrys thinking. I think we will see Romo, Manziel and Moore and a QB drafted later in the draft. Im not saying i agree with it but i think thats going to be what it is.

Yeah. I think you may be right. And even though I wan to see a few "Arms" in camp, I may be inclined to take the same gamble. --- But............... We need QBs. We need viable franchise QBs now! Romo isnt going to make it too much longer. But thats guess work. Who really knows?

I just know its coming soon. This year , next, maybe 3 years from now. I want to be ready with a QB that we have developed in our system.... That is easier said then done ! I know.

 

[JohnsKey19]

Julio was left off a lot of top 5 lists prior to this season. Now he's in everyone's top 2. Dez just needs to get healthy and produce as he did before.

 

[JoeBoBBY]

A few years ago Dez was an emerging talent with top 5 potential. Now he's still great but getting long in tooth and passed up by younger guys. It's like he jumped from being almost there to over the hill without actually ever being top 5.

I am worried about how he has conducted himself after getting "his money". That has probably been his goal since age 16. "Do whatever I have to do , to get that money"........................ and he did it. He did all the right things, said all the right things, worked out like crazy, etc etc..... and he got his money. Maybe he was holding some things back.........................?

But now I am worried; Now, after he has get his money, his attitude may have changed a little bit....... And maybe he needs to find another motivation factor to keep him............ "at the top".

 

[Vinnie2u]

Cowboys should consider sneaking a peak at the Steelers WR draft board. They just keep letting guys go... Sanders, Wallace. And reload Bryant, Wheaton, Brown.

 

[tyke1doe]

Question: Where does Dez rank on your list of top WRs after this season? Would he still be in the top 5?

Babe Laufenberg: Not after this season. He has to earn his way in there. Julio Jones, Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham JR. DeAndre Hopkins...these guys have all passed Dez by. That doesn't mean that he can't get back into the top 5, but this is as talented a group of receivers as we have seen in quite some time. He needs to get healthy, and then we need to talk again and possibly reshuffle the deck.

Hhhmm. Okay, so ...

We have Julio Jones (1), Antonio Brown (2), Odell Beckham Jr. (3) DeAndre Hopkins (4) and ... Dez (5).

So how can Dez have dropped out of the top five when you only listed four players better than he and he, presumably, would be the fifth?

This is why writers need editors.

Be that as it may, no one can really argue that Dez was among the top 5 receivers in the league this year. Even though Babe left them out, A.J. Green, Brandon Marshall and DeMaryius Thomas as receivers who may be better than Dez - definitely this year.

What I fear regarding Dez is that ...
1.) His emotions will get the best of him and
2.) That he'll continue to dedicate himself to precise route running so he will be more than a possession receiver as he gets older.

He's a beast inside the red zone. But outside the red zone, it seems he can get taken out of the game.

 

[DogFace]

Others have said not practicing on their home field is common practice in the NFL. I don't like it and I'd like to know which teams practice on their field and if they have better home records. I can't help but think it makes a difference.