NBC: Stephen Jones denies that Dez Bryant threatened to miss time **merged**

[Garrettop]

All of your points are spot on. It's a gamble. Just like the Cowboys are gambling that he won't sit out Dez would be gambling that Dallas won't keep him around when he refuses to play for a season.

I am a Cowboys fan with or without Dez...but I still in my gut feel they didn't really negotiate with Murray with intentions of keeping him and I feel they are most likely doing the same with Dez. I hope we are not guilty of trying to be the Patriots when we have not established a system of winning like the Patriots have.

Being honest don't you also question if our FO really cares that much about getting a deal done? They have the power card and they planned to play it before Dez's catch was ruled a non catch in Green Bay.

The Pats got to be the Pats before they won 4 SBs by being the Pats.

 

[SuspectCorner]

All the parties are playing hardball on the Dez contract negotiations. I don't see what the Bryant Camp hopes to gain from his sitting out regular season games. After tomorrow no long-term contract can be negotiated between the two camps until next off-season... and Dez will lose $750K for each game he sits out - unless you think the Joneses would renegotiate a one-year deal allowing Bryant to make up the shortfall his own absence will create. I'd be way more than 'a little surprised' to see that happen.

As much as I believe the ownership values Dez (and I sincerely believe he is a huge priority for them) I'm pretty sure they realize that any such deference to his absence would be some bad business on their part and guaranteed to burn them when negotiations restart next off-season if no deal is worked out by the deadline. And talk of a 'no franchise tag' clause in any such revised one-year agreement seems absurdly unrealistic.

The Cowboys ownership have a pretty strong hand they can play out for at least another year. I can't see them folding when it's still relatively early in the game.

It kinda sucks for the fan right now - what with all the Dez uncertainty for an otherwise pretty promising season upcoming. For my part, I'm gonna try to remain hopeful and emotionally detached from the ongoing negotiations.

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

Sure. I guess my thinking is that if the Cowboys truly believe that he really needs this money, they know that he's bluffing about sitting out. Obviously the Cowboys organization knows a whole lot more about Dez and what his environment is like compared to us or anyone else (except his family and friends obviously). So if they believe that he has money issues, they may have good reason to believe it, and I can see how they would be confident that he's bluffing.

The FO would be foolish to throw away the ability to tag him again. And Dez would be more than foolish to throw away game checks or the season even if he doesnt NEED the money.

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

Here's something Dez may or may not have been blinded to by the leeches on him that refer to themselves as advisors: That extra million or two he is angling sooooo hard for is going to be long gone to the wind (given statistical probability along with his personal track record) in his later years, while glorious experiences on the gridiron will still be with him. No one should try to start reaching for sobstories about financially broke NFL vets with broken minds and bodies to relate to this situation: Dez is going to be a multimillionaire either way. But he could jeopardize something that you could never squander.

You're thinking and looking at this like a normal rational individual. We all know very few pro athletes do what you are doing.

 

[guag]

The Pats got to be the Pats before they won 4 SBs by being the Pats.

 

[jrumann59]

the most he could sit voluntarily would be 10 games or basically this year does not count and the clock starts again next year as franchise tag year 1

 

[superonyx]

The FO would be foolish to throw away the ability to tag him again. And Dez would be more than foolish to throw away game checks or the season even if he doesnt NEED the money.

It's not foolish of Dez if he is successful in getting what he wants. It's a gamble for sure. But it isn't foolish to throw away a few game checks when doing so gets you your one mega contract you desire. If you are Dez and you truly felt the Cowboys plan to use you for the next 2 seasons unless you take a sucker contract what would you do? You would be considering all of your options as well and one of those options is to refuse to play for that 1 year deal and force a trade to a team that will give you that mega contract you want. Sure you lose a game check or more. But you make it up in the end. Dez will be 28 when Dallas is done "owning him". Who is giving a 28 year old receiver with 7 years of wear and tear on his body a mega contract? No one. This is his only chance to get the deal he feels he deserves.

The same reason Murray is wearing green. This was his only chance. You know Murray is watching this and saying " thank god Dez had to take that franchise tag bullet"

 

[chris1995]

Agreed.

Dez, take the $12.8 million per and be on a Super Bowl team.

I like idea but I love the idea of DEZ take the 12.8 mill and be on a Super Bowl Champion team- got to win it all, shot for the stars.

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

It's not foolish of Dez if he is successful in getting what he wants. It's a gamble for sure. But it isn't foolish to throw away a few game checks when doing so gets you your one mega contract you desire.

Its a foolish gamble becuz he cant get the long term deal after tomorrow at 4 pm EST and the Cowboys would never throw away the ability to tag him next year. The Commanders have a better chance of going 19-0 this upcoming season then Dez does of gaining anything of real value by holding out.

 

[xwalker]

After reading that article, I still honestly have no idea how this gives Bryant any sort of real leverage. I feel kind of dumb for not understanding. How would Bryant's "demand" that he doesn't get franchise tagged in 2016 any different than, say, a "demand" that he gets a multi-year deal with $40 million guaranteed?

I guess I'm missing something?

The difference is that after July 15th, he can't do anything about a long term contract, but he can still hold out asking for a no tag in 2016 agreement.

 

[guag]

The difference is that after July 15th, he can't do anything about a long term contract, but he can still hold out asking for a no tag in 2016 agreement.

Ahh. Yeah that does make sense now. I personally don't think it would be worth holding out for, but then again I'm not Dez.

If I know that I'm a world-class receiver at 26, I know that I'm going to get a huge contract in at most 2 years as long as I continue to do what I do. I understand the security issue, but that's what insurance is for -- I see others saying that he can get a $10+ million policy for decent rates, so I would think that covers the security issue...

 

[superonyx]

Its a foolish gamble becuz he cant get the long term deal after tomorrow at 4 pm EST and the Cowboys would never throw away the ability to tag him next year. The Commanders have a better chance of going 19-0 this upcoming season then Dez does of gaining anything of real value by holding out.

So you believe that if Dez is still holding out week 8 that the Cowboys would really still franchise tag him again next season? I don't see that happening. I believe the story would be an embarrassment for both Dez and the jones and they would agree to not franchise him next year. Why would you want to franchise a cancer for the second year in a row?

Just curious...has a team ever franchised a player 2 straight years and then let him walk?

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

So you believe that if Dez is still holding out week 8 that the Cowboys would really still franchise tag him again next season? I don't see that happening. I believe the story would be an embarrassment for both Dez and the jones and they would agree to not franchise him next year. Why would you want to franchise a cancer for the second year in a row?

Just curious...has a team ever franchised a player 2 straight years and then let him walk?

Why wouldnt they when they own his rights? Dez would look like the fool, not the Jones family.

 

[guag]

Just curious...has a team ever franchised a player 2 straight years and then let him walk?

Anthony Spencer. Unfortunate (for Spencer) and different circumstances, though. Hell, they were unfortunate circumstances for both parties. But I don't know if Spencer was ever publicly against the tag.

 

[JDSmith]

So you believe that if Dez is still holding out week 8 that the Cowboys would really still franchise tag him again next season? I don't see that happening. I believe the story would be an embarrassment for both Dez and the jones and they would agree to not franchise him next year. Why would you want to franchise a cancer for the second year in a row?

Just curious...has a team ever franchised a player 2 straight years and then let him walk?

By that time Dez would have given up six and a half million dollars. And why would the Cowboys let him walk for nothing? I can't see Dez missing half the season and giving up that kind of money. For all practical purposes he's under contract, like it or not. If he opts to sit he can stay home and not get paid, but the Cowboys own his rights for the foreseeable future and they're not going to let him walk away without being properly compensated.

He really has no leverage, and the sooner he sees and accepts that the better it will be for him. He needs to stop whining about only being paid 13 million dollars to play football for 5 months and get with the team. I still think they get a deal done by tomorrow, if they don't Dez has nothing to gain by missing any more time.

 

[superonyx]

Why wouldnt they when they own his rights? Dez would look like the fool, not the Jones family.

It could be like owning the rights to a malignant tumor. No thanks...

A team never wins with this type of thing hanging over it.
I hope they can work something out. I don't want to see a passionate guy like Dez become jaded against the franchise. Something tells me Dez is getting advise from people influential enough to make him go away from his instincts. He wants to be a cowboy for life. I believe he would even give a hometown discount to be a cowboy for life. But his advisors won't let this happen. They want to pad their personal resume for the next free agent to be.

This could end the way it did for Albert Haynesworth who just came out and says he wished he never left the Titans for the skins and that contract.

 

[Nightman]

Anthony Spencer. Unfortunate (for Spencer) and different circumstances, though. Hell, they were unfortunate circumstances for both parties. But I don't know if Spencer was ever publicly against the tag.

Spencer loved the tag, he moved faster signing it than he ever moved on the field.

He still banked over 20m with a busted knee.

 

[Nightman]

It could be like owning the rights to a malignant tumor. No thanks...

A team never wins with this type of thing hanging over it.
I hope they can work something out. I don't want to see a passionate guy like Dez become jaded against the franchise. Something tells me Dez is getting advise from people influential enough to make him go away from his instincts. He wants to be a cowboy for life. I believe he would even give a hometown discount to be a cowboy for life. But his advisors won't let this happen. They want to pad their personal resume for the next free agent to be.

This could end the way it did for Albert Haynesworth who just came out and says he wished he never left the Titans for the skins and that contract.

Dez is worth a couple 1sts as a tagged player. Why let him walk for a comp 3rd? That is worth tying up 12.8m for a few months

If Dez skips 10 games he loses 7.5m this year and his franchise tag will be 12.8m again next year. Add the 7.5m they saved as a rollover, the net hit would be 5.3m.

 

[mmohican29]

Imo, the Front Office is gambling with this season's potential at this point. We let Murray walk to afford Dez. They chose Dez over Murray and bolstered the Defense. Now, the fans are going to flip if the team's bedrock of respect- the catalyst for the return to prominence- is not on the field.

Dez is a uniquely gifted and talented warrior who deserves his pay day. If it's Megatron $, so be it. He must play. I'd jettison any three Dallas Cowboys not named Romo tomorrow: to ensure his roster spot for 4 more years. He's that valuable.

 

[Nightman]

Imo, the Front Office is gambling with this season's potential at this point. We let Murray walk to afford Dez. They chose Dez over Murray and bolstered the Defense. Now, the fans are going to flip if the team's bedrock of respect- the catalyst for the return to prominence- is not on the field.

Dez is a uniquely gifted and talented warrior who deserves his pay day. If it's Megatron $, so be it. He must play. I'd jettison any three Dallas Cowboys not named Romo tomorrow: to ensure his roster spot for 4 more years. He's that valuable.

That's a bold take, but at least you own it.