News: Talks with Bryant have "intensified" in the past week

[CCBoy]

2014 impact: Bryant has developed into one of the NFL’s top receivers over the last two seasons. In 2014, Bryant led the NFL with a career-high 16 touchdown catches. He recorded his third consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season with 1,320 on 88 receptions. Bryant was elected to his second consecutive Pro Bowl.

Why Bryant will likely be back: Though Bryant could become an unrestricted free agent March 10, the Cowboys don’t plan to let him go anywhere. He’s their top priority this offseason, and the Cowboys would like to sign him to a long-term contract extension. If they can’t, Bryant will likely become the Cowboys’ franchise tag player for 2015 and make about $12 million on a one-year deal. Bryant is only 26 and has the fifth-most receiving yards in the NFL over the last five years with 5,424. Bryant has more touchdown catches (56) than any other player over the last five years. Even with his name in the headlines this offseason, the Cowboys’ appreciation of his talent shouldn’t be affected.
http://cowboysblog.***BANNED-URL***...-likely-to-return-in-2015-wr-dez-bryant.html/


Oh, Dez won't be going anywhere. Movie rights or not...

 

[Little Jr]

He is not restricted. Even at the highest tender a team could sign him out from under us .... at the cost of two first round picks.

If they use the exclusive tag on him he can not negotiate with any team. Non exclusive he can.

 

[Little Jr]

2014 impact: Bryant has developed into one of the NFL’s top receivers over the last two seasons. In 2014, Bryant led the NFL with a career-high 16 touchdown catches. He recorded his third consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season with 1,320 on 88 receptions. Bryant was elected to his second consecutive Pro Bowl.

Why Bryant will likely be back: Though Bryant could become an unrestricted free agent March 10, the Cowboys don’t plan to let him go anywhere. He’s their top priority this offseason, and the Cowboys would like to sign him to a long-term contract extension. If they can’t, Bryant will likely become the Cowboys’ franchise tag player for 2015 and make about $12 million on a one-year deal. Bryant is only 26 and has the fifth-most receiving yards in the NFL over the last five years with 5,424. Bryant has more touchdown catches (56) than any other player over the last five years. Even with his name in the headlines this offseason, the Cowboys’ appreciation of his talent shouldn’t be affected.
http://cowboysblog.***BANNED-URL***...-likely-to-return-in-2015-wr-dez-bryant.html/


Oh, Dez won't be going anywhere. Movie rights or not...

I don't think he will go anywhere. I don't think he gets a contract this year either. He will be tagged

 

[Toruk_Makto]

Franchise him and draft a WR if a talented one falls to you in the 3rd or 4th round then sit back and enjoy Dez's camp scramble to get more reasonable.

This a joke?

 

[SportsGuru80]

Some of these comments are laughable...

 

[Nightman]

Sure they would. Do you honestly think dez and his agent cares? Lol do you honestly think that they would say great points we'll take a little above what you offered Lol dez has the best agent in football. Dez mindset is he is the best wr in football or at minimum equal to cj. He's not gonna accept anything that isn't close to cj money. They're gonna have to franchise him if they want to keep him. As bad it sounds their only hope to sign him to a long term deal is the video is as bad as some have reported. And he takes what he can get.

You put way too much stock into what Dez' camp wants. It's takes 2 to reach a deal and the Jones' are the ones with the money, so their opinion is the more important one. Dallas is obviously prepared to tag him for one or two years and then lose him. They haven't knocked down any doors running over to Dez' house to sign some outrageous contract.

 

[Little Jr]

You put way too much stock into what Dez' camp wants. It's takes 2 to reach a deal and the Jones' are the ones with the money, so their opinion is the more important one. Dallas is obviously prepared to tag him for one or two years and then lose him. They haven't knocked down any doors running over to Dez' house to sign some outrageous contract.

Yes and you don't put enough into what dez camp wants. Lol and I think you confuse what I say he wants with what the Cowboys will pay him. I'm not saying they will or should. I don't think they will and I belive he will be franchised the next 2 years. I think you are underestimating dez conviction on where he stands and what he deserves to get paid. I belive you said before you are surprised he isn't signed yet. With what you you think he will take I'm not suprise at all he isn't signed yet. The 7 yr 88m with 28 guarntee is stuff dez laughs at. Again I'm not saying that isn't a good contract that we should offer. I like it actually. But it's not gonna get it done. Not even close. That's why imo a deal hasn't been made because the 2 sides are so far apart. I realize it takes 2 but when the 2 are far apart the middle ground is too much for 1 and not enough for the other.

 

[Nightman]

Yes and you don't put enough into what dez camp wants. Lol and I think you confuse what I say he wants with what the Cowboys will pay him. I'm not saying they will or should. I don't think they will and I belive he will be franchised the next 2 years. I think you are underestimating dez conviction on where he stands and what he deserves to get paid. I belive you said before you are surprised he isn't signed yet. With what you you think he will take I'm not suprise at all he isn't signed yet. The 7 yr 88m with 28 guarntee is stuff dez laughs at. Again I'm not saying that isn't a good contract that we should offer. I like it actually. But it's not gonna get it done. Not even close. That's why imo a deal hasn't been made because the 2 sides are so far apart. I realize it takes 2 but when the 2 are far apart the middle ground is too much for 1 and not enough for the other.

What a player wants is irrelevant. He is only worth what someone will pay him. Is he willing to retire if no one pays him 16m a year with 45m guaranteed? I doubt it. Dallas let DWare go last year, better decisions are being made. You have to be willing to walk away from any deal at some point. That is how NE does it.

 

[CCBoy]

What a player wants is irrelevant. He is only worth what someone will pay him. Is he willing to retire if no one pays him 16m a year with 45m guaranteed? I doubt it. Dallas let DWare go last year, better decisions are being made. You have to be willing to walk away from any deal at some point. That is how NE does it.

Selection involves choices, but wisdom involves good selections. Bad selections aren't on the table for both Dez or the Cowboys, just viewing recent and actual choices made.

 

[Little Jr]

What a player wants is irrelevant. He is only worth what someone will pay him. Is he willing to retire if no one pays him 16m a year with 45m guaranteed? I doubt it. Dallas let DWare go last year, better decisions are being made. You have to be willing to walk away from any deal at some point. That is how NE does it.

Again I'm not arguing Dallas will or should pay him that lol. I too like how they have done business over the past 3 yrs. that's why I think there is no way they will give him close to cj type money. We agree on that part. We disagree on what dez will sign for. And yes someone will pay him that on the open market. And yes I think he will hold so to speak and take a franchise tag the next 2 years and still be young enough to get a huge deal. He won't be happy and he will make it hard on the Cowboys I'm sure by not showing up for camp and such and that's when the Cowboys will have to decide is is worth it. The contract hoof proposed in the othe thread if I'm reading it right would be a fair deal for both sides. Dez would get his guarantee money I say he's asking for but he will have to bet on himself to get it after the 1st 2 yrs. if I'm reading it right it would be 28m guarntee the 1st 2 yrs and 15m the 3 3rd yr if he's in the roster.

 

[JoeBoBBY]

i say franchise him. If he wants to slack because of it, Romo and the gang will sniff it out and avoid him

I dont think he does that. I dont think its in his DNA. If he is on the football field, he is going all out!

I mean, Megatron himself hasnt been able to get the Lions anywhere close to a SB team.

Its a team game. Maybe if megatron wouldve been more reasonable, and allow the Lions some space to manauever and pick up some more guys, Calvin couldve sniffed a SB?

I like Dez. But I like SBs more....

 

[Verdict]

If they use the exclusive tag on him he can not negotiate with any team. Non exclusive he can.

I might be wrong, but I think you are confusing restricted free agency and unrestricted free agency. Cole Beasley is a restricted free agent. He can only negotiate with the Cowboys. Dez is an unrestricted free agent and can negotiate with other teams regardless of the level of tender we put on him. The level of the tender only determines the salary level and the amount of compensation a team has to give up to us in order to sign him. At least that is the way I understand it.

 

[rpntex]

I might be wrong, but I think you are confusing restricted free agency and unrestricted free agency. Cole Beasley is a restricted free agent. He can only negotiate with the Cowboys. Dez is an unrestricted free agent and can negotiate with other teams regardless of the level of tender we put on him. The level of the tender only determines the salary level and the amount of compensation a team has to give up to us in order to sign him. At least that is the way I understand it.

No, he's correct. There are two franchiose tags for unrestricted FAs - Exclusive and Non-exclusive. The first takes away any negotiating rights the player has with other teams.

 

[jrumann59]

The exclusive franchise hardly ever gets used basically telling your player screw seeing what you are worth you are ours and the only way you are leaving is for a kings ransom trade.

 

[Nightman]

The exclusive franchise hardly ever gets used basically telling your player screw seeing what you are worth you are ours and the only way you are leaving is for a kings ransom trade.

It also is usually more expensive since it averages the top 5 salaries THIS year, the exact amount to be determined later in April.

The non-exclusive tag uses a 5 year rolling average as a percentage of the cap of the top 5 salaries at a position. Plus you have the right of first refusal and you get 2 #1 Draft picks if you don't match.

 

[coult44]

What a player wants is irrelevant. He is only worth what someone will pay him. Is he willing to retire if no one pays him 16m a year with 45m guaranteed? I doubt it. Dallas let DWare go last year, better decisions are being made. You have to be willing to walk away from any deal at some point. That is how NE does it.

NE= Kraft, Belicheck and Brady. You can't compare anything of our organization with theirs.

 

[Nightman]

NE= Kraft, Belicheck and Brady. You can't compare anything of our organization with theirs.

They aren't gods. They just play good football and make smart decisions, most of the time. Trying to emulate some of the successful things they do is not a bad strategy.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

I'll be glad when they get this part of the offseason done and we can move on to the other moves that need to be made and taken care of.

 

[EGTuna]

Non-exclusive franchise tag is the way to go, as there's no way a team should pay any WR, even one as ridiculously talented as Dez, a long-term contract with tons of guaranteed $.

 

[Nation]

Dez needs to keep in mind that he has a lot less leverage over Dallas in comparison to Calvin Johnson when he signed his second contract. Calvin off the old rookie-wage scale deal was scheduled to have a 21.3M salary cap number for 2012, which would have resulted in a giant ensuing franchise tag. If he had been franchise tagged in 2013 and 2014 that would have been tags of 25.5 and 30.6 million, which were impossible numbers.

Dez will cost 12.8 million to tag for 2015 and 15.4 to tag for 2016. They could then tag him a 3rd time at either the quarterback franchise tag or 120% of 15.4 million, whichever is greater. That's 3 years of the tag at less than 50 million dollars, and with the option each year to move on if his back fails or if he misbehaves. Then he hits free agency at his 29 going on 30 season. Not an ideal situation at all for him, so I'd be careful if I were him campaigning for crazy guarantees if he really wants that long term security.