More NFL teams are reportedly unwilling to even offer Dez Bryant a league minimum salary than those who’d actually sign him.
He was considered one of the best wide receivers in the NFL a couple of years ago and now, in 2018, Dez Bryant is having a hard time trying to find a new team to play for.
As cited by Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith, ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that there are “far more” teams unwilling to pay Bryant the league minimum salary than there are teams that would consider signing Bryant for any contract.
Ed Werder of The Doomsday Podcast reported last week, via ESPN, that Bryant turned down a multi-year offer from the Baltimore Ravens.
Schefter revealed on ESPN’s NFL Live on Wednesday, per Pat Doney of NBC DFW, that the deal Bryant turned down from the Ravens would have paid him $7 million per year.
.@AdamSchefter says on ESPN the Ravens were willing to pay Dez Bryant about $7 million per year, and Schefter can't find any other teams willing to pay him anywhere near that amount. Says NFC East teams are not interested — at least for now. @NBCDFW
— Pat Doney (@PatDoneyNBC5) May 2, 2018
The Ravens signed wide receiver Michael Crabtree to a similar deal earlier this offseason, giving the former Oakland Raiders wide-out a three-year deal worth $21 million.
Bryant has made it clear that he’s seeking a one-year, prove-it type of deal with a contender that can spring him into getting a bigger deal next offseason. The former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver has also made it known that he would do anything to stay in the NFC East and play for either the Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles or the New York Giants.
After releasing veteran wide receiver Brandon Marshall a couple weeks ago, rumors ran wild about general manager Dave Gettleman and the Giants possibly trying to sign Bryant.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported after the Giants released Marshall that the team was not interested in Bryant.
“As far as the Giants go, my understanding is they are not at this point a team vying for his services,” Rapoport said of Bryant, per Chris Wesseling of NFL.com
Bryant had 69 receptions, 838 yards receiving and six touchdowns last season for the Cowboys. His receiving yards and catches were the most he’s had in the last three seasons.
On the flip side though, Bryant has not nearly been the same player he once was. He hasn’t had over 1,000 yards receiving or double-digit touchdown receptions since 2014.
One reason for Bryant’s lack of productions over the last few seasons have been his inability to win one-on-one matchups against cornerbacks, states Cowboys’ vice president of player
personnel Will McClay.
“The (inability) to win one-on-one, to win downfield. There was inconsistency as well as some huge things in his play. So what’s best moving forward for Dez Bryant [and] the Cowboys? We just made that decision. It’s a production-based business,” McClay said Tuesday on ESPN 103.3 FM, via Clarence E. Hill Jr. of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
It’ll be interesting to see where Bryant ends up. His focus on staying in the NFC East, where teams don’t want him at the moment, is hurting his situation. Unless he expands his search, it could be a while before Bryant finds a new home for next season.
